Hoffenheim’s African defensive specialists will take their leave for an extended period after the Gladbach game and will miss TSG in four important games in January.
On Saturday, TSG will be looking to add the finishing touches to one of the best Hinrunden in their Bundesliga history with a sixth home win of the season. Another treble would take Hoffenheim’s tally to 30 points; only twice have they had more in the season’s halfway point: As autumn champions in their promotion year under coach Ralf Rangnick (2008/09 with 35 points) and five years ago under Julian Nagelsmann (2016/17, 31 points). Against Gladbach, coach Sebastian Hoeneß expects an opponent “who is certainly not brimming with confidence,” Hoeneß knows, “but we will certainly not make the mistake of underestimating Gladbach. They are a team that is aiming for international places, and rightly so. And they have the right personnel on the pitch. “
Akpoguma plagued by calf problems
In addition to the slightly injured Georginio Rutter and Angelo Stiller, the 39-year-old must also fear for the deployment of Kevin Akpoguma, who took calf problems with him from Leverkusen (2:2). Either way, it will be a temporary “farewell game” for the German-Nigerian on Saturday. Because Nigeria’s international, just like Diadie Samassekou (Mali), will not be back at TSG for the start of training in the new year like the rest of his colleagues on 2 January. Instead, “some of them will even start preparation with their national team this year,” Hoeneß revealed, “and then it depends on how long they stay in the tournament. “
It is certain that Akpoguma and Samassekou will miss the league games against FC Augsburg (8.1.) and Union Berlin (15.1.) and will also be absent from the cup clash with SC Freiburg (19.1.). On the same day, Akpoguma will play in the last group match with Nigeria, followed the next day by Samassekou with Mali. Even in the event of an early elimination from the tournament, an appearance in TSG’s following home match against Dortmund (22.1.) is therefore unrealistic.
In the “worst case scenario” from Hoffenheim’s point of view, even the appearance in Mainz (5.2.) scheduled two weeks later could still be affected, but for that to happen Akpoguma and Samassekou would have to go far and advance with their teams to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup (2/3 February) or even the final (6.2.).
Hoffenheim’s third African, Ghanaian Kasim Adams, on the other hand, is just as unlikely to play a role in the plans of his national coach as he does in those of Hoeneß. The centre-back, for whom a new club is to be found in the winter, played his last international match more than a year ago.
