Bundesliga
Fix: Hoffenheim separates from coach Breitenreiter
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim has parted ways with head coach André Breitenreiter. photo
© David Indian song / dpa
André Breitenreiter came to TSG Hoffenheim as the master coach of FC Zurich. A strong start to the season was followed by the crash. Now the club has released the 49-year-old. The successor is open.
The tenure of coach André Breitenreiter at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is now officially over.
As the troubled Bundesliga club announced two days after the 5-2 defeat at VfL Bochum, the 49-year-old will be released. The Kraichgauer gave no information about a successor. The table-14. thus drew the consequences of the crash in the relegation battle and a series of ten competitive games without a win.
Breitenreiter came last summer to succeed Sebastian Hoeneß and still has a contract with TSG until June 30, 2024. “Bild” and “Kicker” had already reported on his leave of absence after 22 competitive games the day before.
“In André we were able to hire a coach who, from day one, not only had a high level of acceptance in the team, but also with the entire staff, our employees at the office and all fans and partners,” said sporting director Alexander Rosen. “We thank him for the pleasant cooperation and the many positive moments, especially at the beginning of our time together.”
Fourth after six matchdays
Breitenreiter’s team was fourth in the table after six matchdays. Since then, the team has picked up just seven points in 13 games with a goal difference of 16:29. The last league win so far was on October 14 with a 3-0 win at FC Schalke 04. Rosen is now particularly challenged as director of professional football: For the first time since 2016, when Julian Nagelsmann saved the club from relegation in the second half of the season, Hoffenheim is threatened again the crash from the Bundesliga.
For Nagelsmann, at the age of only 28, a steep career began. For Hoffenheim, since the departure of the current Bayern coach to RB Leipzig in 2019, the occupation of the post has not been permanent and has quickly been problematic. Nagelsmann’s former assistant, the Dutchman Alfred Schreuder, didn’t even last a year. After all, his successor Sebastian Hoeneß had two seasons left in the corona pandemic.
Breitenreiter’s successor could make his debut on Saturday (3:30 p.m. / Sky) in the next Bundesliga game against Bayer Leverkusen. However, the group of candidates is not large: one contender would be Pellegrino Matarazzo, once assistant coach under Nagelsmann and his companion in the coaching course. The 45-year-old saved VfB Stuttgart from relegation last year, but then had to leave in October after nine games without a win.