Champions League: Hoffenheim key facts

It promises to be another great night under the Etihad lights as Pep Guardiola‘s side look to maintain their fine form.

And to help get supporters in the mood, here’s some background facts about our German visitors:

• The Club’s full name is TSG 1899 Hoffenheim They were formed in1899 and their Nickname is Die Kraichgauer (Kraichgau is their native region) The modern-day club was formed in 1945, when gymnastics club Turnverein Hoffenheim (founded 1 July 1899) and football club Fußballverein Hoffenheim (founded 1921) merged.
• At the beginning of the 1990s, the club was still a local amateur side playing in the eighth division Baden-Württemberg A-Liga. Still a fifth division side in 2000, the club made a remarkable advance to the top tier Bundesliga in 2008 after just one season playing in the 2. Bundesliga.
• Before being promoted to the top tier of the Bundesliga in 2008, Hoffenheim played in the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion which was built in 1999 with a capacity of 5,000 (1,620 seats).
• TSG 1899 Hoffenheim made their ambitions clear in 2006 when the club’s management decided to build the new 30,150 seat Rhein-Neckar-Arena suitable for hosting Bundesliga matches. The club played their first game at the newly-built ground in January 2009.
• Julian Nagelsmann was appointed head coach of Hoffenheim in October 2015. At the time of his appointment, Nagelsmann was 28, and became the youngest manager in Bundesliga history.
• Aged 31 years 58 days, Nagelsmann created more hostory by becoming the youngest coach in UEFA Champions League history when Hoffenheim opened their group campaign away at Shakhtar Donetsk this September, replacing Viktor Goncharenko, who was 31 years 99 days when BATE took on Real Madrid back in 2008/09.
• The club’s first taste of European football came in the 2017/18 campaign. That season Hoffenheim were eliminated from the Champions League during the play-off round to Liverpool. The German-side lost the first leg tie 2-1, before a 4-2 defeat in the second leg which saw them exit the competition.
• Hoffenheim are the 13th German club to feature in the UEFA Champions League – a joint competition record along with Spain.
• To date, Hoffenheim have drawn three of their European away games. In their two previous Champions League away trips this season, they secured 2-2 draws at Shakhtar Donetsk and Lyon respectively. Last season, they secured a 1-1 draw at İstanbul Başakşehir in the group stages of the Europa League.
• Tickets are on sale now for Manchester City v Hoffenheim on Wed 12 Dec. From £15 Adults and £5 U18s. Book your seats.