Hoffenheim Vs Dynamo Kyiv: Shadowed By Threat Of Dismissal

Midfielder Tom Bischof became Hoffenheim's mainstay against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League. (X/@tsghoffenheim)

JAKARTA - Hoffenheim's match against Dynamo Kyiv became a test for Pellegrino Matarazzo coach. Hoffenheim must win in the match at the PreZero Arena Stadium, Thursday. October 3, 2024 evening WIB. if Matarazzo does not want to be fired.

Hoffenheim's poor result made Matarazzo in the spotlight. How not, Hoffenheim experienced a decline after achieving quite impressive achievements in the German Bundesliga competition last season. They finished in seventh place which is the highest position since 2020.

The success of occupying that position has passed Hoffenheim to the Europa League. Because this season the Bundesliga have won five teams to the Champions League. Thus, teams that are ranked sixth and seventh can compete in Europe's second caste.

This impressive performance makes Hoffenheim look optimistic about facing the competition for the new season. However, Die Kraichgauer started badly.

They only picked up one win against promoted Holstein Kiel from five Bundesliga matches. In the aftermath, Hoffenheim is ranked 16th and is in the relegation zone.

Finally, Tom Bischof et al who played at home had to admit the superiority of Werder Bremen 4-3. In that match, Hoffenheim was already 3-0 up. However, Bremen was able to beat and turn to win. The defeat made Matarazzo's position threatened to be dismissed.

Because a number of names have been circulated that will replace him. Former Schalke coach David Wagner is a strong candidate to replace him.

Even Wagner, who once initiated Norwich City but was later fired for failing to bring promotions to the English Premier League, had come to the stadium to watch Hoffenheim's match.

Apart from Wagner, there is Sandro Wagner who is currently the assistant coach of the German national team. The next candidate is former Bayern Munich defender Martin Demichelis.

Matarazzo seems to be occupying a hot chair. Moreover, the team's performance in the Europa League was inconclusive. When they started the fight in European competition, they were only able to draw 1-1 against FC Midtjylland. Hoffenheim almost fell before being saved by Max Moerstedt who scored in the last minute.

Hoffenheim must rise if he does not want to fail again. However, the coach from the United States, who has lived in Germany since 2000, had to lose six of the best players due to injuries, including Andrej Kramaric's top score, who had doubts about appearing.

Kramaric is not yet fully fit, so it is likely that it will still have to be sidelined. Apart from Kramaric, Hoffenheim could not be strengthened by David Jurasek, Finn Becker, Grischa Promel, Ihlas Bebou and Ozan Kabak.

Meanwhile, Dynamo hopes to rise after losing 3-0 to Lazio in the first match of the Europa League. After that bad result, the elite Ukrainian team immediately beat FC Livyy Bereh 3-0 in domestic competitions.

Dynamo actually qualified for the Champions League as champions of the Ukrainian League. However, they had to play-offs and lose 3-1 on aggregate against RB Leipzig.

In the match against Hoffenheim, coach Oleksandr Shovkovskyi lost most of the pillar players, including Maksym Bragaru who got a red card against Lazio.

In addition, Dynamo lost Matviy Ponomarenko, Mykola Mykhaylenko, Nazar Voloshyn, Vladimir Shepelev and Brayan Ceballos who were injured.

Hioffenheim Lineup Forecast (3-4-1-2): Baumann; Akpoguma, Grillitsch, N'Soki; Kaderabek, Tohumcu, Bischof, Prass; Hlozek; Berisha, Bulter

Dynamo Kyiv (4-2-3-1): Bushchan; Karavayev, Popov, Mykhavko, Vivcharenko; Brazhko, Rubchynskyi; Yarmolenko, Buyalskyi, Voloshyn; Gu