The joy before the premiere in the large Sinsheim stadium is great among the soccer players of TSG Hoffenheim.
On Saturday (5:55 p.m.) the team of coach Gabor Gallai will play against the champion and cup winners VfL Wolfsburg in the large PreZero Arena instead of in the small Dietmar Hopp Stadium, where otherwise only the men play.
TSG Hoffenheim is hoping for 7,000 spectators
Captain Fabienne Dongus said it was a great “appreciation for us within the club, but also for women’s football”, which was given more visibility and attention. TSG expects 6,000 to 7,000 fans for the game on the second matchday, which will be broadcast live by ARD. “These are outstanding framework conditions for the top game,” said Gallai. “I hope that there will be more than 7,000.”
After the opening game between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Bayern Munich last Friday in front of a Bundesliga record crowd of 23,200 spectators, such highlight games are also about continuing to use the “wave of euphoria” unleashed by the European Championship in England, explained national player Dongus. Gallai considers the most important thing “that it doesn’t become a flash in the pan, but that we manage to keep women’s football present in the long term”.
Champions League goal for the season, but Wolfsburg got off to a great start
TSG Hoffenheim, who want to make it into the “Top 3”, are already under a bit of pressure before the second matchday. Last weekend, the TSG women surprisingly lost 1: 3 (0: 3) to 1. FC Köln. In addition, it is not yet certain whether the regular goalkeeper Martina Tufekovic will return to the goal after a gastrointestinal infection, Gallai explained. Central defender Jana Feldkamp is missing due to a suspension. It will be a reunion with the National player Jule Brand give, who only moved from Kraichgau to Wolfsburg in the summer.
The champion and cup winner from Wolfsburg won his first game against SGS Essen 4-0 (3-0). The next highlight game of the Bundesliga will take place on match day five (October 21 to 23) between Wolfsburg and FC Bayern in the Volkswagen Arena.
