Hoffenheim hope to keep Lyon guessing in make-or-break tie
Hoffenheim expect “a cauldron” atmosphere at Lyon today in their make-or-break Champions League tie with head coach Julian Nagelsmann hoping to keep the French side guessing.
Hoffenheim must win in France to draw level on five points with Lyon, who can qualify for the last 16 with a victory, and enjoyed a confidence-boosting 4-1 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen away in the Bundesliga on Saturday. “
In Lyon, we have to bring the same passion to the pitch as in Leverkusen — then we can get a victory. It’s going to be a cauldron, so we have to fight as a unit,” said Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.
Hoffenheim’s England Under-21 winger Reiss Nelson, 18, was just as adamant before the team’s short flight to France yesterday. “If we play like we did at Leverkusen, we can win,” insisted Nelson, who has scored five goals in six league games since joining on loan from Arsenal and has been outstanding in recent weeks.
Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim know they will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose at the Groupama Stadium and Manchester City win at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the other Group F tie.
While the French are unbeaten in Group F, Nagelsmann’s team are still chasing their first win, but the Germans outplayed Bruno Genesio’s side for long periods when the teams drew 3-3 in Sinsheim a fortnight ago.
Despite the Ligue 1 club leading twice, Hoffenheim substitute Joelinton rescued a point in added time with the equaliser.
The 22-year-old Brazilian, who has scored four goals in as many games, also scored twice in the romp at Leverkusen and Nagelsmann insists their away performance on Saturday would have kept Lyon guessing.
“They will certainly have looked at the game at Leverkusen — and still do not know exactly how we play,” said Nagelsmann.
“That was very important for the self-confidence — the guys realised that we can be successful in different ways. We are able to defend high up — but we can also counter and defend more deeply,” he added.