Captain Oliver Baumann has called on the fans of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to end their boycott. “Only together can and will we achieve something this season. We as a team on the pitch need you, without any ifs or buts,” wrote the 34-year-old goalkeeper in the editorial of the club magazine “Spielfeld” before the Bundesliga club’s Europa League opener, adding: “After all, the PreZero Arena is not a library.”
In protest against the club’s policy – TSG had parted ways with most of the management and long-time manager Alexander Rosen in the summer – ultra groups in particular had recently refrained from loudly supporting the club in the stadium.
Baumann wants “spectacle” in Sinsheim
Hoffenheim had recently lost three times in the league. They will kick off the Europa League on Wednesday (9 p.m./RTL) against Danish champions FC Midtjylland. TSG’s next home game is on Sunday (5.30 p.m./DAZN) against Werder Bremen. Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team will play internationally for the first time in this round on October 3 in Sinsheim against Dynamo Kiev.
Baumann spoke of an “incredible anticipation of our European nights” and demanded: “Let’s make the games a spectacle.” The team is trying to ignore the “emotional weeks”: “The only thing we can influence is our performance on the pitch.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240924-930-242328/1
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