The unfortunate 3-1 defeat against BVB could have unpleasant long-term consequences for TSG Hoffenheim, but Wout Weghorst and Pavel Kaderabek are back fit.
Due to a bruised thigh, he is questionable against Bremen: Andrej Kramaric.
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It was probably a kind of rear-end collision and a scene beyond the immediate action of the game when, in the final phase against Dortmund, Borussia’s defender Nico Schlotterbeck ran very painfully onto Andrej Kramaric and permanently damaged the Croatian’s thigh. The bruise that remains fits colorfully into the autumnal landscape, but does not fit into a regular preparation for the upcoming game on Saturday evening in Bremen (6.30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker). “Andrej hasn’t been able to play yet with his bruised thigh from the Dortmund game and is questionable,” revealed coach Pellegrino Matarazzo on Thursday.
Of course, everything is being tried feverishly to alleviate the long-term consequences as quickly as possible and to have a chance of having the top scorer fit for action or at least as an option on the bench. Nevertheless, Matarazzo has to prepare for a scenario without his star, after all the recently injured Wout Weghorst and Pavel Kaderabek are available again. “I have different thoughts, but I haven’t made a decision yet,” assured the 45-year-old, who is testing different options on Thursday in the usual eleven-on-eleven format, “where I try out different constellations and see what I like best.”
“Wout Weghorst could return and take his place in the starting line-up, you can certainly imagine Grischa and Anton on the double eight again. The question is, if Andrej is missing, whether we have enough strength, agility and the final pass We have space for what we need,” Matarazzo explained his thoughts. “I can’t answer that yet. It’s clear that his overview and goal threat would be missing.”
Weghorst: Only “a question of time” until it “pops”
Whether with or without Kramaric, Weghorst and Kaderabek are likely to return to the starting eleven. Ihlas Bebou had recently represented the Czechs on the right, a loss of quality because it is not the ideal position for the attacker from Togo. The 29-year-old also unnecessarily started the first goal conceded in the 1:3 against Dortmund with a risky throw-in.
And up front, Weghorst is important with his presence with and without the ball. “He does a lot of defensive work for us, he presses like a madman and at the same time closes the opponent’s six and enables a more compact formation even in higher pressing,” explains Matarazzo, “he holds the ball well when we want to outplay an attacking press, he is “He’s a great target player. And we also know his goal threat, we want to feed him in the box, even if he hasn’t scored yet, it’s only a matter of time before it does.” Accordingly, Maximilian Beier and Weghorst would start at the front, with Kramaric possibly playing at number eight.
Dennis Geiger and Stanley Nsoki, who are in advanced training, will certainly still be out, but Marco John and Bambasé Conté have already partially returned to action this week and will be fully integrated into team training again next week.
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