Matarazzo “does it sensationally brilliantly” for Hoffenheim

During Hoffenheim’s 3-1 victory over Hertha BSC, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s biggest supporters were seated in the better sections of the main stand. Alexander Rosen, the TSG manager for almost ten years, had even more motivation than usual in the intense relegation battle with the Berliners hoping for a win after trying weeks. Because Matarazzo would have suffered severe harm if he had been forced to be fired as a coach with no points, despite only signing on at the beginning of February.

After all, Rosen overcame significant internal opposition to replace André Breitenreiter with the former Stuttgart coach. Following his selection as the team’s savior, Matarazzo dropped his first five games. Hertha then entered the picture, and on Saturday they demonstrated more forcefully than ever why they are the league’s worst away team.

Rosen should have experienced the most tension quickly because of this. After all, no one in the crowd, according to TSG midfielder Christoph Baumgartner, “got the impression that Hertha was winning today” during the entire 90 minutes. Baumgartner continued with succinct terms so that everyone could now clearly grasp how the Hoffenheim team feels about their coach: “Another push came from the Matarazzo-out controversy. No athlete would have accepted that if he was forced to leave. He is doing incredibly well.”

This naturally raises the question of whose initiative the firing of Matarazzo would have been, a scenario that has been floating around for days. Without being asked, the players fill in for him in the breach. The coach would have been fired in the event of a second loss, despite the fact that sports director Rosen, who proudly and dishonestly asserted after the victory that “there was no ultimatum,” is convinced of Matarzzo. Hoffenheim, a previous startup club, still has an official organizational structure that outlines clearly who is responsible for what in the fields of sport and business. Moreover, there is an unofficial center of authority.

It is believed that Dietmar Hopp’s buddy and advisor Wittmann suggested a new trainer.

The kicker said that Kenan Kocak, the former head coach of the neighboring club SV Sandhausen, had recommended Matarazzo as the replacement for the released rider, not player’s agent Roger Wittmann (agency “Rogon”), whom club patron Dietmar Hopp has termed a “friend” for many years. These reports ought to have provided fresh material in response to the south curve’s fortnightly articulated needs and the Hoffenheimer deep state illumination. On Saturday, TSG fans again unfurled a banner with the demand: “Disempower Wittmann in the club”.

Andrej Kramaric, who had established the team with two successful penalty kicks, was replaced, and the Croatian clapped with his coach even though he no longer holds a regular position under him, demonstrating that the player-coach relationship is still intact. Kramaric was complimented by Matarazzo prior to the game for having the ability “to shoot us to remain up,” nevertheless. Strikers who are uneasy like to hear things like that. A player who has been dismissed is also encouraged if his coach pats him on the back instead of shaming him for his actions and guilty conscience. That’s exactly what Matarazzo did with striker Munas Dabbur, who was sent after just two minutes of action after a brutal tackle on Hertha’s Dodi Lukebakio in the 71st; however, by that point, the score had already reached three goals.

This time around, the spirited Hoffenheim team didn’t make much of their obvious superiority. Yet just when you think it’s impossible, a penalty kick appears. The one that made it 1-0 (in the 24th minute) was just as valid as the one that made it 2-0. (38th). Yet Matarazzo didn’t start to think he could win and keep his job until Ihlas Bebou made it 3-0 (51′). After the first two hits, he was actually rather thrilled, but now he was crying out in relief. The only way Dabbur’s removal affected the game was by highlighting Berlin’s utter impotence.

Hertha was able to make it 3-1 in extra time thanks to Stevan Jovetic. Yet after a performance in which their team lost all competitiveness after being outnumbered for 25 minutes, even Berlin supporters felt bad for them. The players, who had creeped closer the guest curve in anticipation of a lecture, received minutes of motivation instead of the lecture they had expected. In light of everything that was (or was not) witnessed on Saturday, Hertha will want this urgently in the coming days.