Hoffenheim will play in the group stage of the Champions League for the first time after finishing third in the league. Julian Nagelsmann has won plaudits from all sides for the way he has developed his Hoffenheim side, and that will only increase after this incredible campaign.
The opening half of the season was nothing spectacular for Nagelsmann’s team as they made a swift exit from Champions League qualifying and then the Europa League. Their league form was also average as they finished the first half of the season in 7th. Near the end of the season a run of 7 wins in 10 games meant Hoffenheim secured their highest ever finish.
Hoffenheim’s squad was decimated at the start of the season with the loss of three crucial players to rivals in the league. Nagelsmann had to rebuild, but even though the coach brought in some exciting talent, results were poor to begin with. An exit from a fairly easy Europa League group was matched by defeats to relegation contenders HSV and Freiburg. However their late season run, which included wins over Leipzig and Dortmund pushed Hoffenheim into third.
The secret to Hoffenheim’s form late in the season was down to a change in approach from Nagelsmann’s side. Rather than playing the more defensive football from the opening half of the season, Hoffenheim started playing for more attacking football with the front three of Mark Uth, Andrej Kramaric and Serge Gnabry excelleing.
All three finished with 10 or goals as well as 5 or more assists as Hoffenheim scored 39 goals in the final 17 rounds of the season. However there are storm clouds over the club once again. Uth has already agreed a move to fellow Bundesliga side Schalke while Gnabry will move back to Bayern after a loan spell. Nagelsmann will once again have to reinvent his team, but he has already shown he can manage that.
