Press review, Hoffenheim vs BVB: handball penalty chaos | OneFootball

For the first time this season, BVB have lost two matches in a row and must continue to wait for secure qualification for the Champions League. In the 1–2 defeat at TSG Hoffenheim, two converted handball penalties by Kramaric meant their fourth loss of the season. Here is a selection of press reactions to the match.

TSG Hoffenheim “came out like a house on fire,” says the Süddeutsche Zeitung. They took the lead through a “double punishment” — Niklas Süle had been injured before his inadvertent handball. The second half then “drifted along for a long time,” with Dortmund making little effort to turn the match around. But because Guirassy’s equalizer was answered by another penalty for TSG, and Kramaric scored his 11th goal in his eighth match against BVB, all three points stayed with TSG.

Zeit mainly takes from the duel between TSG and BVB that the interpretation of the handball rule needs to be discussed in principle. There may have been no intent in either incident — but under the current interpretation, the two penalties were still the correct decisions.

For the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, the two spot-kicks were sheer “madness.” Otherwise, though, BVB looked above all “ordinary.” The problem, apparently, is that there is not much more at stake for Dortmund than earning a day off from coach Kovac in the event of a win. They “put in the effort,” but for a long time produced nothing dangerous. Former Hoffenheim player Süle also became a “tragic figure.”

Photo: IMAGO

“Madness” over the handball penalties for TSG against BVB

“Weak performance” by BVB, says Sportschau. The impression remains that Dortmund are “sleepwalking through the rest of the season.”

The defeat due to a VAR decision shortly before the end of stoppage time was “especially bitter” for BVB, says the WAZ. “The opening phase was balanced, but Hoffenheim were overall a little more purposeful.” After Süle’s unfortunate action that led to the 0–1, BVB were more active after the break, but not necessarily more threatening.

The kicker likewise analyzes that BVB were less purposeful than TSG. However, TSG’s alert defense also left their visitors little room near the penalty area. Even with “more drive” in the second half, they hardly created any goal threat. The xG figures of 2.25 to 0.70 for the home side underline this.

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