Hoffenheim tumbling towards Bundesliga relegation


Hoffenheim are at huge risk of dropping into the German second tier for the first time since 2008 after conceding late in a 2-1 loss at Freiburg, who boosted their Champions League hopes.

Japan’s Ritsu Doan turned home a cross on 89 minutes on Sunday to inflict a seventh league defeat in a row on bottom side Hoffenheim, who have not won in 14 games – their worst-ever run in the Bundesliga.

“We put in a decent performance,” Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo told reporters. “It sounds odd to say that now, but it will be important so we can pick ourselves up and move forward.”

But fifth-placed Freiburg’s win was not enough to finish the weekend in the fourth and final Champions League place.

Union Berlin – who drew 3-3 with Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League in midweek – wearily battled to a 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg.

Josip Juranovic’s penalty midway through the second half put the visitors ahead but the Wolves, who had the better chances, equalised thanks to Patrick Wimmer six minutes from time.

Union, whose Europa League last-16 second leg in Belgium is on Thursday, sit fourth – above Freiburg on goal difference.

Ninth-placed Bayer Leverkusen won 3-2 at fellow mid-table side Werder Bremen in an entertaining and rainy clash.

Marvin Ducksch netted for the hosts but wing-backs Mitchel Bakker and Jeremie Frimpong turned the game around either side of the break for Leverkusen. Adam Hloek made it 3-1 before Niclas Fullkrug’s penalty.

Xabi Alonso’s side have a 2-0 cushion in their Europa League second leg at Ferencvaros. They could also still finish in the European places in the Bundesliga having had a poor start to the campaign.

Hoffenheim in contrast began the season well but have dropped like a stone since. They occupy the automatic relegation zone with 10 games left along alongside second-bottom Schalke, who battled to a 2-2 home derby draw with second-placed Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Max Eggestein grabbed Freiburg’s opener after just five minutes.

Angelo Stiller levelled in the second half with a clever shot. It looked like Hoffenheim would hold out until Ozan Kabak was dismissed for a second booking on 84 minutes before Roan struck.

Hoffenheim rose from the fifth tier in 2000 to the top flight in 2008 and have been a solid side since, qualifying for the Champions League under Julian Nagelsmann – now at leaders Bayern Munich – in 2018.

But this season has been utterly forgettable and has confirmed the theory that if Croatia World Cup striker Andrej Kramajic is not in form, neither are Hoffenheim. He was dropped in Freiburg.



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