Matarazzo “proud” of “brutal spirit”

A hand penalty in the last minute cost Hoffenheim their win against Stuttgart. Matarazzo still draws hope from the strong team spirit.

Hoffenheim’s ailing coach Pellegrino Matarazzo lifted his completely dejected players back up. After a dramatic 1-1 (1-0) in the Baden-Württemberg derby at VfB Stuttgart, Matarazzo had to do some work to build up – and the TSG coach probably needed consolation himself after missing a last-second break.

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Nevertheless: The draw with the runners-up should have given Matarazzo some breathing room during the international break after TSG had already won in the Europa League against Dynamo Kiev on Thursday. “I think it’s a shame that we only took one point,” said the 46-year-old: “The boys showed a brutal spirit from the start. The boys were prepared to suffer. That was another step forward.” He is “proud of the team spirit”.

Before the game, however, Matarazzo had indicated how difficult the task was in the TSG environment that has been restless for weeks. It’s “no secret that it’s a challenge.” But he is “dealing with it very well”.

TSG defender Anton Stach spoke of a “great relationship” with the coach. “That is undisputed. We know exactly what he wants from us and are trying to implement it as best as possible,” emphasized Stach on DAZN.

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Captain Oliver Baumann also praised “the great attitude that we showed in a not so easy situation. We have to continue like this now. That’s how we will be successful. That has to be the basis,” said the goalkeeper. After the 2-1 win against Kiev, Baumann had already supported his coach: “If it wasn’t right, then it wouldn’t have worked.” In Stuttgart, Matarazzo also received encouragement from his own fans.

After Valentin Gendrey took the lead (44′), it even looked like TSG’s second league win. But a hand penalty according to video evidence – Kevin Akpoguma had fended off a shot from Deniz Undav with his hand – led to a draw deep into stoppage time (90th + 9th). Particularly bitter: Baumann initially saved Ermedin Demirovic’s shot, but no longer had a chance with the follow-up shot.

“It’s so bitter. We fought brutally,” said Baumann. For the strong Stach, the 1-1 draw was “extremely frustrating. We’re just completely broken.”