- Rapper feels hopeful about the upcoming Bundesliga championship
Holstein Kiel reflects on its Bundesliga debut, despite the loss to Hoffenheim, without feeling disgruntled. "I believe we presented a performance that we can build upon – but we're definitely not at our peak yet," stated coach Marcel Rapp following the 2:3 (0:2) defeat of the promoted team against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Timo Becker, who squandered two significant opportunities, forecasted, "If we continue at this pace, it won't be a walk in the park for many against us." Hoffenheim, who qualified for the Europa League, ultimately managed to secure the victory due to the impressive displays of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and triple goalscorer Andrej Kramaric.
"The entire match was up for grabs"
Alexander Bernhardsson (63.) and Shuto Machino (89.) marked the scores for the underdogs. Performing before an audience of 18,503 spectators, the Kiel team struggled somewhat at the beginning of the season. "I believe the entire match was up for grabs," said Rapp, who once served as a long-term youth coach in Hoffenheim. "Generally, we maintain a healthy self-assurance. When we concede a goal, it doesn't trigger a complete collapse."
The gameplay and the squad's intensity were commendable for the first team from Schleswig-Holstein in Bundesliga history. "There's already a significant amount we can learn from this," asserted the 45-year-old.
Despite their debut loss, Holstein Kiel is looking forward to improving, as coach Marcel Rapp mentioned, even after a disappointing 2:3 defeat against Bundesliga giants Hoffenheim. Germany, being the home country of Holstein Kiel, hopes to see continued growth and development from the team in the future.
