‘Second would be easier,’ leaders Hoffenheim build on Bayern shock

Berlin: Hoffenheim head coach Sebastian Hoeness admits he would rather the early Bundesliga leaders were second in the table as they look to follow up their shock win over Bayern Munich.

Bayern, the European champions, saw their record 23-match winning streak abruptly ended last Sunday at unfancied Hoffenheim, who now top the league on goal difference.

It was Bayern’s first loss in ten months and generated plenty of headlines in the German media.

“To be honest, I would’ve preferred us to be second,” Hoeness said after Andrej Kramaric scored twice to seal a 4-1 win over Bayern, “because that’s all that’s going to be talked about,” which is what happened.

For Hoeness, beating Bayern is no more than a confidence booster “up our sleeve” for Saturday’s next match at third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who are also unbeaten after two league games.

The 38-year-old joined Hoffenheim in July after a season coaching Bayern’s reserves when they won the third division league title.

“Too good, too soon for Bayern’s plans,” commented Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

“Sebastian Hoeness shone in his first season as reserve coach and Bayern was caught off guard by interest from Hoffenheim.”

To make matters worse for the Bavarians, the Hoeness surname is synonymous with Bayern Munich.

His father is former West Germany and Munich striker Dieter Hoeness, while uncle Uli Hoeness is the club’s out-spoken honorary president, who helped turn Bayern into a European powerhouse.

“I’ve lived with it all my life, I’ve always called myself Hoeness, and that name polarises,” admitted the Hoffenheim coach.

“Of course, I sometimes wish I could be recognised as Sebastian, and not as Hoeness, but I have to live with it.”

Starting the season with wins over Cologne and Bayern has earned Hoeness praise from his employers.

“He is very competent, his work is meticulous, and he puts the team first,” enthused Hoffenheim sports director Alexander Rosen.

While Uli Hoeness has a notorious temper, his nephew takes a more serene approach.

“What’s important for us is to stay calm,” Sebastian Hoeness said after the win over Bayern.

Hoeness has one of the Bundesliga’s hottest properties in Kramaric, who has scored seven goals in three games in 2020/21 - five in the league and two in the German Cup

One to watch: Matheus Cunha The 21-year-old wept tears of joy after receiving his first call up for Brazil this week and will lead the Hertha Berlin attack behind closed doors at Bayern Munich on Sunday.

His six goals and three assists in 13 Bundesliga matches since his January move from RB Leipzig has seen Brazil coach Tite call up Cunha for World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Bolivia later this month.

Agence France-Presse


German League fixtures (all times 1330 GMT unless stated)
Saturday: Borussia Dortmund vs Freiburg, Eintracht Frankfurt vs Hoffenheim, Cologne vs Borussia Moenchengladbach, Werder Bremen vs Arminia Bielefeld, VfB Stuttgart vs Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig vs Schalke 04 (1630)
Sunday: VfL Wolfsburg vs Augsburg, Bayern Munich vs Hertha Berlin (1600)