TSG Hoffenheim have announced Pellegrino Matarazzo as the club’s new head coach.
Matarazzo had been one of the top candidates from the start and has now put pen to paper and signed for the club. The 45-year-old takes over from André Breitenreiter, who was sacked last weekend following Hoffenheim’s 5-2 loss against fellow relegation rivals VfL Bochum.
Once a former assistant at Hoffenheim, the American-Italian will now return as head coach. It’s a sensible move for both parties. The former VfB Stuttgart manager already lives near Hoffenheim and comes with top-flight experience.
During his time at Stuttgart, He guided the Swabians to Bundesliga promotion and a ninth-placed finish the following season. Matarazzo also kept VfB in the division during the 2021/22 season.
Upon becoming the new head coach, Matarazzo explained: “As I’ve been living in the region since 2017, I’ve witnessed TSG’s development first-hand even after my departure and have followed it particularly closely due to my history with the club. The situation is undoubtedly demanding.”
He continued: “I’m convinced of the team’s quality and will approach the task full of verve and with great confidence. TSG is synonymous with offensive, courageous and fresh football. I want to quickly get the team back to playing the kind of football that has set them apart for many years and that they’ve already impressively shown on the pitch this season.”
Hoffenheim are currently winless since the middle of October when they beat Schalke 3-0. They now find themselves 14th in the table, three points clear from relegation. Matarazzo’s first game in charge will be against Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
GGFN | Jamie Allen
