👀 Brief Diomande scare, then RB run rings round Hoffenheim | OneFootball

Many football fans are probably not currently glued to their TVs, watching how the duel between RB Leipzig and TSG Hoffenheim unfolds. However, there are certainly aspects of the match—which admittedly doesn’t have too much tradition—that are interesting.

First: For RB, it’s all about crucial points in the race for the Champions League.

At the moment, it also looks very much like they are taking advantage of this opportunity.

Although Hoffenheim is known to be having what feels like the best season in the club’s history and was sitting in third place in the table before the match, the visitors from Sinsheim were completely overrun in the first half.

Even the rather unlikely scenario that Leipzig would overtake Hoffenheim due to goal difference has actually happened!

In the 17th minute, Brajan Gruda made it 1-0 with a tap-in, before his teammate Christoph Baumgartner increased the lead with a header just four minutes later (21’).

The second goal was soon followed by the third—again by Christoph Baumgartner (a mix of defensive refusal from Hoffenheim and a beautiful bicycle kick after chest control by the Leipzig player).

Shortly after, however, came an absolute shock moment for RB. Shooting star Yan Diomande (the second reason to tune in today and be inspired by the football of this rising star) seemed to be in pain after a challenge and sat down on the ground. Apparently, it was his left shoulder that was affected, and he received treatment for it (32’).

Five minutes later, the Leipzig medical team had to come on again, and the unanimous opinion was: That’s it, at least for tonight. However, the Ivorian saw things differently, returned to the pitch, and just before halftime set up Gruda’s 4-0.

📸 Sebastian Widmann - 2026 Getty Images

For RB and with a view to the World Cup in the summer, there is hope that Diomande’s shoulder issues will stay away. At the tournament, he would face the German national team with Ivory Coast in the group stage.

Up until the halftime whistle (shortly before, Diomande even scored what would have been the 5-0, but it was disallowed by VAR), the 19-year-old was still on the pitch, but with RB’s comfortable lead, he could surely call it a night. That’s what happened, as Antonio Nusa came on for him (66’).

In the 78th minute, RB even increased the score to 5-0, this time substitute Benjamin Henrichs scored, sealing the final result.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 RONNY HARTMANN - AFP or licensors