After a 0:5 thrashing

Ilzer protégé: “It’s just a shitty season”

The air is getting thinner and thinner at TSG Hoffenheim and coach Christian Ilzer.

(Bild: GEPA pictures, APA/AFP/Daniel ROLAND)

Hoffenheim and coach Christian Ilzer were badly beaten at FC Bayern and lost 5-0 - goalscorer Andrej Kramaric settled accounts with his team after the game. "That's a reflection of the whole season, it's one shitty season," he grumbled.

Ten games, one win, three draws and six defeats - Hoffenheim's record since the change of coach to former Sturm master coach Christian Ilzer could hardly be worse. The threat of relegation looms. The air is getting thinner and thinner for the Kreisgauers. Andrej Kramaric used the 5-0 defeat to FC Bayern as an opportunity to talk about the overall situation, not the performance in the game itself. "It was clear to me that this would happen," said the Croatian in an interview with ESPN: "This is a reflection of the whole season, this is one shitty season."

If I told the truth about the club and the current situation, I would probably have to pay the highest fine in the history of the Bundesliga.

Andrej Kramaric

"If I were to tell the truth about the club and the current situation, I would probably have to pay the highest fine in the history of the Bundesliga," Kramaric raged.

Hoffenheim finish the first half of the season in the relegation places. Alarm bells are ringing. "There is a danger that we will be relegated," said the 102-time Croatian team player, although they have a "good team": "But nothing has worked since something changed at the club."

The successful striker duo Ilzer (left) and Schicker have been pulling the strings in Hoffenheim for several weeks - without success.

(Bild: APA Pool/APA/dpa/Marijan Murat)

Side blow
A clear dig at sporting director Andreas Schicker and coach Ilzer, even if Kramaric, who has worn the Hoffenheim shirt since 2016, does not address either of them directly. There is a reason why he is still reticent, he said: "But perhaps I will be even clearer in the future."

Ilzer put his finger in the wound after the 5-0 defeat. "You can lose 5-0 here, but we need to have an in-depth discussion about the manner. Bayern is certainly not our benchmark in our current form. Nevertheless, we have to play differently here and defend differently," the Styrian criticized his team. "We're simply lacking individually everywhere at the moment. If it's not working, then it's not working, but then you have to leave everything on the pitch. I don't have the feeling that everyone was like that today," said midfielder Dennis Geiger. "We're right in the middle of the relegation battle, there's nothing to gloss over. There's nothing else at stake for us. I hope we show a different face on Saturday, because otherwise it will be difficult for us." Hoffenheim then face penultimate-placed Holstein Kiel (11) away from home. "Our task now, when we have the important game in Kiel in three days, is not to destroy each other, but to find solutions to get out of this difficult situation healthy and successful," said Ilzer.

If Hoffenheim don't get their act together soon, Schicker and Ilzer's days may also be numbered ...