Hoffenheim 2019/20 season preview
A new era dawns for Hoffenheim in 2019/20, with Alfred Schreuder replacing Julian Nagelsmann in the TSG dugout as the club look to the likes of Ishak Belfodil and record goalscorer Andrej Kramaric to fire them back up the Bundesliga table.
bundesliga.com takes a closer look at what to expect from Hoffenheim…
Aims in 2019/20
After three-and-a-half enormously successful years in Sinsheim, Nagelsmann departed the club this summer for RB Leipzig’s pastures new. During that time, the youngest coach in the Bundesliga brought about the greatest period in the club’s history; taking Hoffenheim from relegation candidates to back-to-back top four finishes and successive European campaigns in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League.
Were it not for three defeats in four winless games at the back end of the season, Hoffenheim may have extended that run. Instead, TSG finished seven points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen in fourth and three back from Eintracht Frankfurt in seventh place’s final Europa League spot.
The result is a first season in three years without European football but the lack of the added demands of a continental campaign may come as a blessing for new coach Schreuder and his team. An enormously ambitious outfit, Hoffenheim will be determined to work their way back into the top seven this season, while a return to the Champions League is the ultimate goal. Having failed to progress beyond the second round of the DFB Cup under Nagelsmann, a deep run this season would also be very welcome.
Player to watch
The Hoffenheim attack will be spearheaded by star man - and club record goalscorer - Kramaric, who was in customary devastating form last season. The Croatian hit 17 goals in 30 Bundesliga appearances across 2018/19, and if the 28-year-old can replicate that form once more then TSG should find themselves fighting it out at the top end of the table. Both Kramaric and Hoffenheim will be relieved that partner in crime Belfodil - who scored 16 times last year - should be fit in time for the new season, while even more will be expected of the likes of Leonardo Bittencourt and Vincenzo Grifo to help provide the front line with the ammunition they require to fire the Hoffenheim charge.
The departures of Nico Schulz, Kerem Demirbay, Joelinton and Nadiem Amiri, paired with the end of Reiss Nelson's loan deal, posed serious questions of Hoffenheim’s recruitment team this summer, but they’ve responded superbly. The addition of highly rated Denmark international Robert Skov is a particularly standout signing with the 23-year-old scoring 24 goals in just 26 league appearances in his homeland last season. He and fellow new boy Ihlas Bebou will hope to hit the ground running and add even more firepower from the flanks for Kramaric to feed on. The return of Sebastian Rudy should also provide a solid base in midfield.
Watch: Andrej Kramaric - Hoffenheim's all-time top scorer
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Summer transfers
IN: Sargis Adamyan (Jahn Regensburg), Kevin Akpoguma (Hannover, end of loan), Ihlas Bebou (Hannover), Vincenzo Grifo (Freiburg, end of loan), Franko Kovacevic (NK Rudes), Havard Nordtveit (Fulham, end of loan), Philipp Ochs (Aalborg, end of loan), Philipp Pentke (Jahn Regensburg), Sebastian Rudy (Schalke, loan), Konstantinos Stafylidis (Augsburg), Robert Skov (Copenhagen), Steven Zuber (VfB Stuttgart, end of loan), Robert Zulj (Union Berlin, end of loan)
OUT: Kasim Adams (Fortuna Düsseldorf, loan), Alfons Amade (Eintracht Braunschweig, loan), Nadiem Amiri (Bayer Leverkusen), Antonio Colak (Rijeka, loan deal made permanent), Kerem Demirbay (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Hack (Nuremberg), Justin Hoogma (Utrecht, loan), Joelinton (Newcastle United), Gregor Kobel (VfB Stuttgart, loan), Reiss Nelson (Arsenal, end of loan), David Otto (Heidenheim, loan), Felipe Pires (Fortaleza, loan), Nico Schulz (Borussia Dortmund)
How they might line up
Stadium
The PreZero Arena was only inaugurated in 2009 and as such it is one of the most modern stadiums in Germany. Tech geeks will be delighted to discover that the roof is covered in solar panels that produce enough energy to power 270 family households each year, while the giant screens at either end of the pitch span a surface area of 52 square metres.
Although it is relatively small compared to other stadiums around the country, its 30,150 (23,400 seated, 6,750 standing) capacity can still become an intimidating cauldron for visitors once the home fans get into full voice.
First five fixtures
Matchday 1: Eintracht Frankfurt (a) – Sunday, 18 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 2: Werder Bremen (h) – Saturday, 24 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 3: Bayer Leverkusen (a) – Saturday, 31 August, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 4: Freiburg (h) – Sunday, 15 September, 3.30pm CEST
Matchday 5: Wolfsburg (a) – Monday, 23 September, 8.30pm CEST
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