Hoffenheim must learn after shocking collapse in Crete

On Thursday evening, TSG Hoffenheim surprisingly lost 0-2 in their Europa League start against the Greek cup winner OFI Crete. While the Kraichgau side were marked by disappointment and criticism after the final whistle, the hosts celebrated the result as a great triumph and cheered loudly in the stadium.

Captain Oliver Baumann, 36, criticised the chance conversion after the match and noted: "We had the feeling that they wanted it more." He added: "We had imagined something different." Baumann also mentioned his recent demotion to backup goalkeeper ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Coach Christian Ilzer shared the disappointment: "That was not enough, we are disappointed – that was not a good start in the Europa League." He emphasized that the team must react immediately.

OFI celebrates historic victory

Bambasé Conté, nominated by Jürgen Klopp for the German national team for the first time, stressed after his substitution: "We must not doubt our path." He reacted enthusiastically to the nomination: "I got goosebumps when I heard the call."

Georgios Kanellopoulos, who scored the second goal with a header in the 84th minute, described the evening as "great night". He said he had brought joy to his own fans by beating "a very good team".

Fan gives the Greeks a boost

Kanellopoulos highlighted the support from the stands: "The fan gave us momentum and psychology." He stressed that he always goes into the game with the aim of giving his best and helping the team.

Aitor Cantalapiedra put OFI ahead in the 30th minute, before Kanellopoulos sealed the historic success. The disciplined performance of the Greeks gave Hoffenheim a harsh dampener as they started the Europa League.

The contrast between Hoffenheim's disappointment and OFI's jubilation shows that the Kraichgau side must learn quickly to remain competitive in the group stage.