Draw in the last Monday game: Bayer, Hoffenheim and the gruesome end


Draw in the last Monday game
Bayer, Hoffenheim and the gruesome end

Monday evening games have been removed from the Bundesliga schedule for the time being – and nobody will miss the unloved date. What Leverkusen and Hoffenheim produced at the end of the short era was a worthy swan song for the Bundesliga Monday evening. The draw doesn’t help anyone.

Bayer Leverkusen gave away an important victory in the battle for Europe and thus a dream start for coach Hannes Wolf. At the end of the 28th Bundesliga matchday, the Werkself did not get past a low-point 0-0 at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and are sixth, two points behind Borussia Dortmund. The longed-for return to the Champions League is likely to be off the table for Bayer after losing points in the last Bundesliga Monday game for the time being before the abolition in the summer. Coach Wolf won his start with 2-1 against FC Schalke 04.

Hoffenheim and the more and more criticized head coach Sebastian Hoeneß prevented the fourth league defeat in a row, but have to improve significantly in the end of the season in order not to end up in the relegation battle. The offensive presentations of both teams – but especially that of the hosts – were on a very poor level. Shortly before the game at DAZN, Hoeneß confidently announced: “We want to be active.” His team, however, started passively and defensively – and didn’t make it out of harmlessness and lethargy until the final whistle.

“Not up to par, my friend!”

After the most recent defeats (2-0 in Stuttgart, 2-1 against Mainz, 2-1 in Augsburg), only one nominal striker started in Ihlas Bebou. Andrej Kramaric, Ishak Belfodil and Munas Dabbur initially sat on the bench. But even the forced early acceptance of the Croatian World Cup runner-up Kramaric did not change the dreary picture. Hoeneß showed himself to be more active and committed than his players, verbally addressing the assistant referee in one scene (“Sure offside! Not up to par, my friend”).

On the lawn, the Hoffenheim team looked rather uninspired. Occasional steep passes to the front too often ended in nowhere. In the best and only half chance of the first half, Christoph Baumgartner missed a cross from Pavel Kaderabek (30th) from a promising position. With the substitution of Kramaric (38th) Hoeneß reacted to the injury of national player Sebastian Rudy, but of course also tried to liven up the offensive. Overall, however, the hosts remained too pale and made too many mistakes. According to the data service provider Opta, not a single shot on goal in the first half had previously occurred in Hoffenheim’s Bundesliga history: in April 2010 against Borussia Dortmund.

At least the fans can celebrate success

The slightly better of two erratic teams were Leverkusen, who at least got a few opportunities. The top talent Florian Wirtz, recently nominated by national coach Joachim Löw, hit one hook too many in the penalty area (19th), Moussa Diaby hesitated too long (24th). Charles Aranguiz failed with his left-footed shot against the well-reacting TSG goalkeeper Oliver Baumann (25th). First the “basics” are on, then “the playfulness comes on top,” said Bayer coach Hannes Wolf, who was initially on loan from the DFB until the end of the season.

But even after an hour there wasn’t too much as a playful icing on the cake. Peter Bosz’s successor Wolf had won his first game for Bayer against bottom of the table FC Schalke 04, but Diaby was unable to take advantage of the next opportunity to take the lead (57th). Wendell’s shot did not pose problems for Baumann (72nd). Substitute Leon Bailey checked the Hoffenheim goalkeeper with a deflected shot in stoppage time, but Baumann reacted and ensured that it remained in the goalless draw on Monday evening.

A game that ended the short era of Monday evening fixtures that began at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, at least from the point of view of many fans. The unloved date was deleted from the Bundesliga schedule at least until the 2024/25 season. “The fact that the protests have resulted in the Monday games being discontinued is a great success for the fan scene,” Helen Breit from the fan organization “Our Curve” said earlier in an interview with SID. Michael Gabriel from the Coordination Office for Fan Projects (KOS) also shares this view: “The fans played a major role in getting these game schedules abolished.” And the professionals from Bayer Leverkusen and TSG Hoffenheim made sure that this Monday evening really remains an unpleasant memory.

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