Two handball penalties as BVB lose 2-1 at Hoffenheim

Two handball penalties as BVB lose 2-1 at Hoffenheim Personnel matters Karim Adeyemi (muscle problems), Emre Can (cruciate ligament rupture) and Felix Nmecha (torn knee ligament) were unavailable. Compared to the previous match against Leverkusen (a 1-0 defeat), the BVB line-up featured three changes: Niklas Süle, Carney Chukwuemeka and Maximilian Beier replaced Ramy Bensebaini, Julian Brandt and Serhou Guirassy. Filippo Mane was back in the squad for the first time since early February after recovering from injury.

Match report Hoffenheim got off to a good start. After 15 seconds, Süle cleared Asllani’s effort in the six-yard box after Gregor Kobel had already been beaten. Five minutes later, following a cross from the left wing, Lemperle found himself almost unmarked on the right-hand side of the penalty area and took a shot: his volley hit the crossbar.

TSG tried their luck with vertical passes out to the wings during a frantic opening spell. After about fifteen minutes, BVB began to take control of the game, creating their first chance through Daniel Svensson’s header from five metres out (which unfortunately flew well over the bar) in the 13th minute, and enjoying more and more possession, which was evenly balanced after 24 minutes. A ball won by Julian Ryerson from Touré deep in his own half sparked a strong counter-attack, in which Beier narrowly failed to connect with Fabio Silva’s cross just outside the six-yard box (25).

Kobel made a save to deny Kramaric in the ensuing attack (26) and then faced the Hoffenheim striker from the penalty spot shortly before half-time. What had happened? During a Hoffenheim attack, Süle got his studs caught in the turf at the edge of the box, twisting his knee and dropping to the ground in pain without any contact from an opponent.