Our next opponents: TSG want new start with smaller squad

Position

All change in the Kraichgau? There's certainly been a big personnel turnover at TSG. And it all looks to be going very well up to now. The team is in good shape with a mix of experience and talent. With a much changed squad in many positions, the club won all eight friendlies in preseason including two wins against Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen (1-0, 3-0) and impressive victories against second-division SV Darmstadt 98 (5-1) and SV 07 Elversberg (5-2). Hoffenheim scored 40 goals in these eight games and only conceded five. The end of the run of friendlies came at their official season launch event with a thrilling 8-0 runaway victory against French club FC Metz, newly promoted to Ligue 1. The Blue and Whites certainly made a statement with that result.

The first competitive match also ended in victory as Christian Ilzer's men beat third-tier Hansa Rostock 4-0 in the first round of the DFB Pokal last Sunday. New signing Wouter Burger gave TSG the lead in the first half, Max Moerstedt and Fisnik Asllani sealing the win in the closing stages. Ilzer was understandably happy with the result and the performance of his team: "We are happy to go through so convincingly."

The 47-year-old Austrian took over at TSG in November 2024. Back then Ilzer likened his task to "changing a tyre on a moving car". And the tricky undertaking just about went well. Hoffenheim stayed up by the skin of their teeth by finishing 15th with just a three-point lead over the play-off spot. Another shaky season is to be avoided. Ilzer had his first full preseason at TSG, and the performances and results from recent weeks are very promising. Ahead of the Bundesliga start, the club believes they are "in best shape for the challenges of the coming season" after the "comprehensive revamp", as reported on the TSG website.

Personnel

Six players made their debuts for TSG in the DFB Pokal tie in Rostock last weekend. The defence in particular has a new look to it. New to the team were central defender Koki Machida (Union Saint-Gilloise/Belgium), the full-backs Bernardo (VfL Bochum 1848) and Vladimir Coufal (West Ham United/England) plus the two holding midfielders Wouter Burger (Stoke City/England) and Leon Avdullahu (FC Basel 1893/Switzerland). Forward Tim Lemperle (FC Köln) also made his first start for Hoffenheim.

Fisnik Asllani, a player returned from Elversberg, started up front. The Kosovan played a big part in the outstanding season for the team from the Saarland last term - which ended in a narrow defeat to Heidenheim in the play-off - with 18 goals and nine assists. The same applies to Muhammed Damar. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder was also on loan at Elversberg and was the second highest scorer and provider after Asllani with nine goals and five assists. Damar came on to replace Andrej Kramaric in the closing stages at Rostock. The Croat is the face of TSG after nine and a half years alongside goalkeeper and captain Oliver Baumann. Kramaric provided the highest number of goal involvements for Hoffenheim last season with 11 goals and eight assists.

The 34-year-old international is optimistic ahead of the new season: "I'm convinced something good can happen here again – if we all stick together. I want to help with that. The energy in the team is very good and all the new signings have made a good impression." Turkey international defender Ozan Kabak is set to return soon after a one-year injury lay-off due to a torn cruciate, which is almost like another new signing. The situation is similar with Grischa Prömel. The midfielder is further on than Kabak after his torn cruciate and made his comeback against Metz before being on the bench in Rostock.

Ilzer will have to manage without former Bayer 04 player Adam Hlozek after he fractured his foot in training, while defender Valentin Gendrey is also ruled out for the foreseeable. The Frenchman broke down in training with ligament damage and a broken ankle. Departures from the club in the summer include key performers Anton Stach (Leeds United/England) and Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich). The central defenders Stanley Nsoki (Union Berlin) and Attila Szalai (Kasimpasa/Turkey) plus striker Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Mönchengladbach) have gone out on loan. Full-back Pavel Kaderabek (Sparta Prague/Czechia), holding midfielder Luka Hyryläinen (FC Magdeburg) and striker Marius Bülter (FC Köln) have also left the club. One or two other players could follow before the end of the transfer window on 1 September.

Problems

The many departures are the result of the restructuring of personnel at TSG, who had a very big squad before the start of the preseason. Sporting director Andreas Schicker has noticeably slimmed the squad down and strengthened in positions where the club needed to act urgently. "We have tried to stabilise the defence because we have always conceded too many goals in recent years," said Schicker. Last season TSG had the second-worst defence in the league behind relegated Holstein Kiel with 68 goals conceded. Over the past four years they've let in an average of 60 goals per season.

Problem recognised, problem solved? It remains to be seen whether TSG can be as solid at the back as they have in recent weeks going into the busy first phase of the season. The opening fixtures are certainly a challenge: after the away game at the BayArena, Hoffenheim entertain Eintracht Frankfurt, and on Matchday 4 they play Bayern Munich and then it's away to SC Freiburg.

Performers

Ilzer made clear what was important to him in the preseason: focused, aggressive pressing and getting the ball forward quickly are indicative of the style that saw the coach win the double in Austria with Sturm Graz. Attacking football and quick transition play have long been part of the Hoffenheim DNA. The squad again has a lot of quality in attack. Stalwart and reliable goalscorer Kramaric has serious competition up front in the shape of MDamar. In addition, Lemperle, Max Moerstedt, Asllani, Bazoumana Touré and Ihlas Bebou are other potent options in attack. "We've made a step forward in terms of joint defending," said Ilzer after the 4-0 win in Rostock.