Winless in December
©IMAGO
After the defeat at the end of 2024, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim finds itself in a relegation battle in the Bundesliga. Even at the stumbling FC Augsburg one admits: the view is downwards. Both clubs last won a league game in November. “We don’t have enough points, which means we’re in a relegation battle. We all have to adapt to that,” said Hoffenheim’s new sports director Andreas Schicker after the unfortunate 2-1 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
With 14 points, TSG has now slipped to 15th place in the table. They have only been worse twice in their own Bundesliga history since promotion in 2008 after the 15th matchday: in 2012/13 when they finished 16th in the table. and last in 2015/16 – shortly before Julian Nagelsmann took over. In both seasons they only narrowly managed to stay in the league. Today, a direct relegation zone is much closer than the European Cup we are actually aiming for. When asked whether Hoffenheim could fight relegation, midfielder Anton Stach replied: “Yes, yes. Now we’re in.”
Even with the separation from coach Pellegrino Matarazzo and the signing of Christian Ilzer, things didn’t really improve for the Kraichgauer team. Ilzer won his debut spectacularly 4-3 against RB Leipzig, but has since waited seven competitive games for a second success. “We have to work our way through the season,” said Ilzer. The problem is that you fall behind in every game. The head coach added: “We are disappointed.”
“Bottomless” against Kiel: FCA has only won against Bochum in the last 7 games
At FC Augsburg, striker Phillip Tietz complained into the “Sky” microphone after the 1:5 debacle at Holstein Kiel: “That was bottomless of us. There’s no need to say anything more about it.” Since the beginning of November, FCA has only won one game in the last seven games against bottom team VfL Bochum. The Fuggerstadt team has been winless for seven away games. The lead over the relegation zone could be reduced to just three points at Christmas, depending on how 1. FC Heidenheim performs in the away game at VfL Bochum on Sunday (3:30 p.m.).
Augsburg coach Jess Thorup declared the relegation battle “one hundred percent”. “From now on we can’t look up too much. Every point counts now; from now on it’s a fight for survival. We have to start it from the beginning of January.”
FC St. Pauli was able to gain some breathing room in the relegation battle with a surprising 1-0 win in Stuttgart. Despite Kiel’s win against Augsburg, Holstein and Bochum now have fewer points total than ever before in 17th place. and -18. after the 15th matchday. Eleven points are one point less than Wuppertal and TeBe Berlin had at the time in 1974/75. In 2020/21, Mainz and Schalke collected 13 points. Bochum could improve on Sunday.