European countries have witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases recently and it looks like Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have been struck by the deadline virus as the German club on Thursday confirmed an eighth case of the dreaded virus with the squad already quarantined. &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Training for Hoffenheim has been suspended after the entire squad was quarantined on Wednesday.

Hoffenheim are scheduled to play Stuttgart in their next Bundesliga match on November 21 following the completion of the international break.

Defender Kevin Vogt was the latest player test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday after the likes of Sebastian Rudy, Ishak Belfodil and a staff member tested positive on Wednesday morning. The current development within the Hoffenheim squad has sparked concerns among the Bundesliga rivals with Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge saying that clubs must ensure they "improve and adapt their hygiene concepts to ensure that matches can continue to be played".

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-to-sign-for-manchester-united-portuguese-star-gets-offer-from-red-devils-342721" hreflang="en">Cristiano Ronaldo to sign for Manchester United? Portuguese star gets offer from Red Devils</a>

Thus far, no Bundesliga match has been cancelled due to a high number of COVID-19 cases at a club as DFL rules state a club must play providing it has 15 fit players.

Werder Bremen’s former German midfielder Clemens Fritz termed Hoffenheim’s cases as “tragic”.

"Hoffenheim is in close communication with the players who are currently still with their national teams, as well as with the health authorities," said sports director Alexander Rosen.ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpools-injury-worry-grows-as-joe-gomez-suffers-serious-knee-injury-342659" hreflang="en">Liverpool's injury worry grows as Joe Gomez suffers serious knee injury</a>

Earlier on Tuesday, Hoffenheim confirmed two cases when Denmark’s Robert Skov and Israel’s Munas Dabbur tested positive for the virus while on national duty.&nbsp;

Denmark winger Jacob Bruun Larsen and a member of staff were isolated at the weekend after testing positive.

As a precaution, goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and left-back Ryan Sessegnon were both sent home from the senior Germany and England Under-21 squads respectively despite negative tests.

Hoffenheim stunned European champions Bayern 4-1 in September but have taken just seven points from seven matches.

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

European countries have witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases recently and it looks like Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have been struck by the deadline virus as the German club on Thursday confirmed an eighth case of the dreaded virus with the squad already quarantined.

European countries have witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases recently and it looks like Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have been struck by the deadline virus as the German club on Thursday confirmed an eighth case of the dreaded virus with the squad already quarantined. Training for Hoffenheim has been suspended after the entire squad was quarantined on Wednesday. Hoffenheim are scheduled to play Stuttgart in their next Bundesliga match on November 21 following the completion of the international break. Defender Kevin Vogt was the latest player test positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday after the likes of Sebastian Rudy, Ishak Belfodil and a staff member tested positive on Wednesday morning. The current development within the Hoffenheim squad has sparked concerns among the Bundesliga rivals with Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge saying that clubs must ensure they "improve and adapt their hygiene concepts to ensure that matches can continue to be played". ALSO READ: Cristiano Ronaldo to sign for Manchester United? Portuguese star gets offer from Red Devils Thus far, no Bundesliga match has been cancelled due to a high number of COVID-19 cases at a club as DFL rules state a club must play providing it has 15 fit players. Werder Bremen’s former German midfielder Clemens Fritz termed Hoffenheim’s cases as “tragic”. "Hoffenheim is in close communication with the players who are currently still with their national teams, as well as with the health authorities," said sports director Alexander Rosen.ALSO READ: Liverpool's injury worry grows as Joe Gomez suffers serious knee injury Earlier on Tuesday, Hoffenheim confirmed two cases when Denmark’s Robert Skov and Israel’s Munas Dabbur tested positive for the virus while on national duty. Denmark winger Jacob Bruun Larsen and a member of staff were isolated at the weekend after testing positive. As a precaution, goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and left-back Ryan Sessegnon were both sent home from the senior Germany and England Under-21 squads respectively despite negative tests. Hoffenheim stunned European champions Bayern 4-1 in September but have taken just seven points from seven matches. (With AFP inputs)

Hoffenheim hit badly by COVID-19 cases as club confirm eighth case; squad quarantined

Hoffenheim struck late through Sargis Adamyan and Andrej Kramaric to complete a 2-1 comeback win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-dortmund-loose-out-on-two-goal-lead-to-draw-3-3-with-rb-leipzig-268861">Borussia Dortmund </a>on Friday as the Bundesliga heads into the winter break.

Fourth-placed Dortmund are level on 30 points with Bayern Munich, who host VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, and four points behind leaders RB Leipzig, who welcome Augsburg, and second-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach who visit Hertha Berlin.

Mario Goetze made the most of a rare start by putting the visitors ahead in the 17th minute, while Hoffenheim struggled to get into the game although they hit the bar from a Robert Skov free kick with their only real chance.

But Dortmund, who hit the woodwork through Thorgan Hazard and missed several other golden chances, failed to add another goal despite being in complete control of the game and they were punished for it.

The hosts leveled when substitute Adamyan stabbed the ball home after goalkeeper Roman Buerki failed to clear in the 79th.

The Armenian, who also scored twice against Bayern Munich in a 2-1 away win in October, then turned provider, crossing for Kramaric to head the winner three minutes from time.

Dortmund, without injured Axel Witsel and captain Marco Reus, also withdrew Thorgan Hazard and Mats Hummels at halftime, the latter with a suspected fractured hand after a nasty fall.

"We had the game completely under control. We just did not use our chances," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told reporters. "We had five, six big chances. It was easy to make the 2-0 and the 3-0. It is silly, just silly.

"We are a bit tired. Two injuries at halftime and we played too complicated. We always want to do the special thing. That costs us a lot."

It was the second consecutive game in which Dortmund gave up the lead, after being in front twice in the 3-3 draw against Leipzig on Tuesday.

The league breaks after this weekend's matches and resumes on Jan. 17.

Hoffenheim struck late through Sargis Adamyan and Andrej Kramaric to complete a 2-1 comeback win over Borussia Dortmund on Friday as the Bundesliga heads into the winter break.

Hoffenheim struck late through Sargis Adamyan and Andrej Kramaric to complete a 2-1 comeback win over Borussia Dortmund on Friday as the Bundesliga heads into the winter break. Fourth-placed Dortmund are level on 30 points with Bayern Munich, who host VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, and four points behind leaders RB Leipzig, who welcome Augsburg, and second-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach who visit Hertha Berlin. Mario Goetze made the most of a rare start by putting the visitors ahead in the 17th minute, while Hoffenheim struggled to get into the game although they hit the bar from a Robert Skov free kick with their only real chance. But Dortmund, who hit the woodwork through Thorgan Hazard and missed several other golden chances, failed to add another goal despite being in complete control of the game and they were punished for it. The hosts leveled when substitute Adamyan stabbed the ball home after goalkeeper Roman Buerki failed to clear in the 79th. The Armenian, who also scored twice against Bayern Munich in a 2-1 away win in October, then turned provider, crossing for Kramaric to head the winner three minutes from time. Dortmund, without injured Axel Witsel and captain Marco Reus, also withdrew Thorgan Hazard and Mats Hummels at halftime, the latter with a suspected fractured hand after a nasty fall. "We had the game completely under control. We just did not use our chances," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told reporters. "We had five, six big chances. It was easy to make the 2-0 and the 3-0. It is silly, just silly. "We are a bit tired. Two injuries at halftime and we played too complicated. We always want to do the special thing. That costs us a lot." It was the second consecutive game in which Dortmund gave up the lead, after being in front twice in the 3-3 draw against Leipzig on Tuesday. The league breaks after this weekend's matches and resumes on Jan. 17.

Bundesliga: Hoffenheim stun Borussia Dortmund after late strike

Five-talking points from the Bundesliga weekend where Borussia Dortmund reached the halfway mark with a six-point lead at the top over Bayern Munich after both teams registered victories.

Gonzalez misses a 10,000 per cent chance for stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart coach Markus Weinzierl was not in the mood to offer any comfort to his young striker Nicolas Gonzalez after the Argentine's astonishing miss early in the second half against Schalke 04, blaming it squarely for their 3-1 defeat.

Schalke was leading 1-0 when goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann gifted the ball to the 20-year-old Gonzalez who had an open goal at his mercy but sent his shot against the post.

"The turning point was definitely the 47th minute when Nicolas Gonzalez let a 10,000 per cent chance go begging," said Weinzierl.

"We did not accept the gift and that would have been very, very important... at 1-1, we could have turned the game around."

Gonzalez got on the scoresheet later - his first goal since joining Stuttgart from Argentinos Juniors in the summer but by then Schalke was 2-0 ahead.

"The lad is a bit uneasy when he has scoring chances," added Weinzierl whose side are 16th in the 18-team league.

Nagelsmann Frustrated After Hoffenheim Draw Again

Hoffenheim's sixth successive league draw left coach Julian Nagelsmann clearly frustrated as he complained that his team did all the hard work in the 1-1 stalemate against Mainz 05.

"Mainz didn't deserve a point," said the 31-year-old, whose side are seventh with 25 points. "They just played long balls forward and relied on the counter-attack.

"We invested so much and once again, we have run more than our opponents. We must make sure our efforts are rewarded - we have to be more efficient."

Reus firing on all cylinders&nbsp;

Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus is finally enjoying an injury-free season, helping his team to the top of the table where they have 42 points and a six-point lead going into the winter break.

Reus has played in all but 37 minutes of Dortmund's 17 games so far, a welcome change for the 29-year-old who has had two long injury layoffs plus a series of nagging muscular injuries over the last five years.

"The most important thing is to be healthy because without it you can't perform," said Reus, who has scored 11 goals and provided six assists.

"It's also just about having a lot of fun. After a lot of bad injuries, it is of course more important to have fun, being on the pitch and taking every opportunity to test your body."

RB Leipzig find a replacement for Naby Keita&nbsp;

Fourth-placed RB Leipzig believe they have found a long-term successor for Naby Keita, the gifted Guinean midfielder who left for Liverpool in the summer.

The club have signed Mali's Amadou Haidara from Austrian champions Salzburg on a five-year deal, although he will not be able to make his debut until March because of a knee injury.

Haidara, 20, helped Salzburg reach the Europa League semi-finals last season and won two successive league titles after joining them from an academy in his homeland in 2016.

He also scored for Salzburg in their 3-2 win over Leipzig when the two met in the Europa League in September.

"There are not many players out there who have his potential," said Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick. "He has all the prerequisites to succeed Keita."

Ribery finds a new lease of life at Bayern

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has found a new lease of life at the age of 35, scoring a brace in Saturday's 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt to make it four goals in his last three appearances.

"I think it's great when lads like him still have that hunger," said Bayern's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

"I've always said that there's no such thing as a player who is too old, but rather players who are good or not so good, and he's definitely a very good player."

Five-talking points from the Bundesliga weekend where Borussia Dortmund reached the halfway mark with a six-point lead at the top over Bayern Munich after both teams registered victories.

Five-talking points from the Bundesliga weekend where Borussia Dortmund reached the halfway mark with a six-point lead at the top over Bayern Munich after both teams registered victories. Gonzalez misses a 10,000 per cent chance for stuttgart VfB Stuttgart coach Markus Weinzierl was not in the mood to offer any comfort to his young striker Nicolas Gonzalez after the Argentine's astonishing miss early in the second half against Schalke 04, blaming it squarely for their 3-1 defeat. Schalke was leading 1-0 when goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann gifted the ball to the 20-year-old Gonzalez who had an open goal at his mercy but sent his shot against the post. "The turning point was definitely the 47th minute when Nicolas Gonzalez let a 10,000 per cent chance go begging," said Weinzierl. "We did not accept the gift and that would have been very, very important... at 1-1, we could have turned the game around." Gonzalez got on the scoresheet later - his first goal since joining Stuttgart from Argentinos Juniors in the summer but by then Schalke was 2-0 ahead. "The lad is a bit uneasy when he has scoring chances," added Weinzierl whose side are 16th in the 18-team league. Nagelsmann Frustrated After Hoffenheim Draw Again Hoffenheim's sixth successive league draw left coach Julian Nagelsmann clearly frustrated as he complained that his team did all the hard work in the 1-1 stalemate against Mainz 05. "Mainz didn't deserve a point," said the 31-year-old, whose side are seventh with 25 points. "They just played long balls forward and relied on the counter-attack. "We invested so much and once again, we have run more than our opponents. We must make sure our efforts are rewarded - we have to be more efficient." Reus firing on all cylinders Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus is finally enjoying an injury-free season, helping his team to the top of the table where they have 42 points and a six-point lead going into the winter break. Reus has played in all but 37 minutes of Dortmund's 17 games so far, a welcome change for the 29-year-old who has had two long injury layoffs plus a series of nagging muscular injuries over the last five years. "The most important thing is to be healthy because without it you can't perform," said Reus, who has scored 11 goals and provided six assists. "It's also just about having a lot of fun. After a lot of bad injuries, it is of course more important to have fun, being on the pitch and taking every opportunity to test your body." RB Leipzig find a replacement for Naby Keita Fourth-placed RB Leipzig believe they have found a long-term successor for Naby Keita, the gifted Guinean midfielder who left for Liverpool in the summer. The club have signed Mali's Amadou Haidara from Austrian champions Salzburg on a five-year deal, although he will not be able to make his debut until March because of a knee injury. Haidara, 20, helped Salzburg reach the Europa League semi-finals last season and won two successive league titles after joining them from an academy in his homeland in 2016. He also scored for Salzburg in their 3-2 win over Leipzig when the two met in the Europa League in September. "There are not many players out there who have his potential," said Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick. "He has all the prerequisites to succeed Keita." Ribery finds a new lease of life at Bayern Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has found a new lease of life at the age of 35, scoring a brace in Saturday's 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt to make it four goals in his last three appearances. "I think it's great when lads like him still have that hunger," said Bayern's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "I've always said that there's no such thing as a player who is too old, but rather players who are good or not so good, and he's definitely a very good player."

Talking points from the Bundesliga weekend

Manchester City overcame a first-minute setback to relaunch their Champions League campaign with what manager Pep Guardiola hailed as an "important" 2-1 victory at Hoffenheim, clinched by a late David Silva winner, on Tuesday.

The Premier League champions and current leaders, urgently needing a win after their opening week Group F defeat at home by Olympique Lyonnais, had been rocked by an Ishak Belfodil goal after just 44 seconds.

Sergio Aguero's equaliser seven minutes later seemed to have set them back on course as they dominated most of the match but the Bundesliga side, set up in an attacking 4-3-3 mode and dangerous on the break, held firm until Silva cashed in on a late defensive error.

Guardiola felt it was another major learning experience for his side, who had looked as if they could be frustrated and deprived of a win they deserved when denied a clear-cut second-half penalty.

The win pushed City into second-place in the group on three points after two matches, one point behind Lyon, who later drew 2-2 with Shakhtar Donetsk. Ukrainian champions Shakhtar, City's next opponents, are third on two points.

"After losing the first game, it was important that we didn't lose today," he told BT Sport.

"We need to live this type of experience as a club to improve, to get better. You cannot make the next steps if you don't suffer or live this kind of experience, where you have to fight against everything."

Hoffenheim's home debut in the Champions League group stages at their Rhein-Neckar-Arena started perfectly for the high-flying 'village club' who have come so far so quickly in the Bundesliga, with Algerian Belfodil latching on to a neat through ball from Kerem Demirbay to slot home.

The quickest goal City had ever conceded in the competition was another shock to their system after their loss to Lyon, their only defeat of the season in any competition so far.

Normal service was quickly resumed, though, when a fine ball from Silva found Leroy Sane, outstanding on his return to Germany, who picked out Aguero to bundle home his eighth goal in 10 matches in all competitions this season.

Raheem Sterling, after a lightning end-to-end break, and Aguero, who was a livewire all evening, went close to putting City ahead as they piled on the pressure.

Yet after the break, 31-year-old Julian Nagelsmann's side, reflecting the enterprise of the youngest manager in Champions League history, held on staunchly as City ramped up their attacks.

It seemed as if Guardiola's men would be deprived of the win when Sane was clearly brought down in the penalty area in the second half when rounding goalkeeper Oliver Baumann but no penalty was awarded.

Asked about the penalty, Guardiola, who had been back on the touchline after serving a one-match European ban, said he would not comment because he did not want to end up back in the stands.

His side kept their patience, though, and David Silva's quick thinking, robbing central defender Stefan Posch in the box and shooting home a sharp left-footed winner, secured them the three points.

"We knew we had 15 points to fight for and we now have three. Now it's in our hands unlike before and, of course, we cannot make the mistake we did against Lyon," said Guardiola.

"We are not quite at the level of our opponent," a philosophical Nagelsmann told reporters. "We did a good job, tactically we gave a great performance, but they are a world-class team, you cannot forget that."

Manchester City overcame a first-minute setback to relaunch their Champions League campaign with what manager Pep Guardiola hailed as an "important" 2-1 victory at Hoffenheim, clinched by a late David Silva winner, on Tuesday.

Manchester City overcame a first-minute setback to relaunch their Champions League campaign with what manager Pep Guardiola hailed as an "important" 2-1 victory at Hoffenheim, clinched by a late David Silva winner, on Tuesday. The Premier League champions and current leaders, urgently needing a win after their opening week Group F defeat at home by Olympique Lyonnais, had been rocked by an Ishak Belfodil goal after just 44 seconds. Sergio Aguero's equaliser seven minutes later seemed to have set them back on course as they dominated most of the match but the Bundesliga side, set up in an attacking 4-3-3 mode and dangerous on the break, held firm until Silva cashed in on a late defensive error. Guardiola felt it was another major learning experience for his side, who had looked as if they could be frustrated and deprived of a win they deserved when denied a clear-cut second-half penalty. The win pushed City into second-place in the group on three points after two matches, one point behind Lyon, who later drew 2-2 with Shakhtar Donetsk. Ukrainian champions Shakhtar, City's next opponents, are third on two points. "After losing the first game, it was important that we didn't lose today," he told BT Sport. "We need to live this type of experience as a club to improve, to get better. You cannot make the next steps if you don't suffer or live this kind of experience, where you have to fight against everything." Hoffenheim's home debut in the Champions League group stages at their Rhein-Neckar-Arena started perfectly for the high-flying 'village club' who have come so far so quickly in the Bundesliga, with Algerian Belfodil latching on to a neat through ball from Kerem Demirbay to slot home. The quickest goal City had ever conceded in the competition was another shock to their system after their loss to Lyon, their only defeat of the season in any competition so far. Normal service was quickly resumed, though, when a fine ball from Silva found Leroy Sane, outstanding on his return to Germany, who picked out Aguero to bundle home his eighth goal in 10 matches in all competitions this season. Raheem Sterling, after a lightning end-to-end break, and Aguero, who was a livewire all evening, went close to putting City ahead as they piled on the pressure. Yet after the break, 31-year-old Julian Nagelsmann's side, reflecting the enterprise of the youngest manager in Champions League history, held on staunchly as City ramped up their attacks. It seemed as if Guardiola's men would be deprived of the win when Sane was clearly brought down in the penalty area in the second half when rounding goalkeeper Oliver Baumann but no penalty was awarded. Asked about the penalty, Guardiola, who had been back on the touchline after serving a one-match European ban, said he would not comment because he did not want to end up back in the stands. His side kept their patience, though, and David Silva's quick thinking, robbing central defender Stefan Posch in the box and shooting home a sharp left-footed winner, secured them the three points. "We knew we had 15 points to fight for and we now have three. Now it's in our hands unlike before and, of course, we cannot make the mistake we did against Lyon," said Guardiola. "We are not quite at the level of our opponent," a philosophical Nagelsmann told reporters. "We did a good job, tactically we gave a great performance, but they are a world-class team, you cannot forget that."

Man City earn late win at Hoffenheim through David Silva

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is available for Tuesday's Champions League game against German side Hoffenheim despite a niggling foot problem, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday.

Aguero scored his fifth goal of the season as Premier League champions City beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 on Saturday, but the Argentine was substituted shortly after with Guardiola keen to keep him fresh for the trip to Germany.

British media reported Aguero had picked up the injury against Newcastle United early last month.

"Tomorrow is such a big game and Aguero is here because the doctors said he's able - tomorrow we will decide whether to play him or (Gabriel) Jesus," Guardiola told a news conference on Monday.

Guardiola said midfielder Kevin de Bruyne had started to train with the squad after recovering from a right knee injury that he sustained in August. However, Tuesday's game comes too soon for the Belgium international.

City will be without the injured pair of midfielder Fabian Delph and defender Benjamin Mendy. Guardiola said French left back Mendy could return for next Sunday's trip to Liverpool.

"Delph, no. Mendy maybe (back for Sunday) - we have enough days until the game so hopefully. The problem is that they still didn't train with us, so hopefully when we return they can train with us," Guardiola said.

Spaniard Guardiola stressed the importance of Tuesday's game following City's surprise 2-1 loss at home to Olympique Lyonnais in Europe's elite club competition last month.

"We have five finals ahead in the group stage. Tomorrow is the first final," said Guardiola, whose side are in Group F, which also includes Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk.

"It's a top quality competition, it's so complicated for all of us and we try to be stable. I think we are making steps forward."

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is available for Tuesday's Champions League game against German side Hoffenheim despite a niggling foot problem, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday.

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is available for Tuesday's Champions League game against German side Hoffenheim despite a niggling foot problem, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday. Aguero scored his fifth goal of the season as Premier League champions City beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 on Saturday, but the Argentine was substituted shortly after with Guardiola keen to keep him fresh for the trip to Germany. British media reported Aguero had picked up the injury against Newcastle United early last month. "Tomorrow is such a big game and Aguero is here because the doctors said he's able - tomorrow we will decide whether to play him or (Gabriel) Jesus," Guardiola told a news conference on Monday. Guardiola said midfielder Kevin de Bruyne had started to train with the squad after recovering from a right knee injury that he sustained in August. However, Tuesday's game comes too soon for the Belgium international. City will be without the injured pair of midfielder Fabian Delph and defender Benjamin Mendy. Guardiola said French left back Mendy could return for next Sunday's trip to Liverpool. "Delph, no. Mendy maybe (back for Sunday) - we have enough days until the game so hopefully. The problem is that they still didn't train with us, so hopefully when we return they can train with us," Guardiola said. Spaniard Guardiola stressed the importance of Tuesday's game following City's surprise 2-1 loss at home to Olympique Lyonnais in Europe's elite club competition last month. "We have five finals ahead in the group stage. Tomorrow is the first final," said Guardiola, whose side are in Group F, which also includes Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk. "It's a top quality competition, it's so complicated for all of us and we try to be stable. I think we are making steps forward."

Sergio Aguero available for Hoffenheim trip despite foot problem

Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann is plotting to outsmart his idol Pep Guardiola when Manchester City attempt to get their Champions League campaign back on track by winning in Germany on Tuesday.

At 31, Nagelsmann is the youngest coach in Champions League history, and admits to being a keen student of Guardiola's methods.

Now Nagelsmann hopes to thwart the Spanish master tactician in Hoffenheim's first home Champions League match in the club's history.

"I don't know if it it's always an advantage to know Pep Guardiola, because then you know that he is doing so much the right way or the best way," said Nagelsmann.

"It's not very easy to say exactly how he will set his team.

"He has different ways to play against different opponents.

"You can see a lot of similarities in his style, but also see a lot of differences.

"As I said, it's not easy to approach his style of play, but I have a few ideas."

In Sinsheim, City will be aiming to bounce back from their shock 2-1 loss at home to Lyon in their first Group F game, while Hoffenheim drew their opener 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Guardiola's City beat Brighton 2-0 at home at the weekend to go top of the Premier League, but Hoffenheim suffered their third defeat in six Bundesliga games on Saturday, losing 2-1 at home to RB Leipzig, who the ambitious Nagelsmann will coach next season.

- In at the deep end -

This is the first time Nagelsmann will go head-to-head with Guardiola, who coached Bayern Munich to three consecutive Bundesliga titles from 2013 to 2016 before joining City.

There are elements to Nagelsmann's aggressive style with Hoffenheim which echo that of Guardiola, whose City team also like to press their opponents in their own half.

Neither is afraid to take risks in selection or switch tactics mid-match.

Nagelsmann became a rising star in German football when he was thrust from coaching Hoffenheim's Under-19 team to being tasked with maintaining the senior team in the Bundesliga.

He was just 29 in February 2016 when he took charge of Hoffenheim -- a Bundesliga record for a permanent head coach -- with the team second from bottom.

He only gained his coaching licence a month after his appointment, but the precarious situation did not faze the self-confident Nagelsmann.

The former defender forged a strong team spirit, turning Hoffenheim from relegation contenders to Champions League qualifiers within two seasons.

Despite his youth, Nagelsmann is street-wise with his answers in press conferences and carefully cultivates his public image.

- Eye-brows -

Just as current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made no secret of his hair transplant while in charge of Borussia Dortmund, Nagelsmann was equally open about his own cosmetic surgery.

He was honest about having permanent make-up on his eye-brows when he sported a new look for the 3-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on the first day of the season in August.

"Women have always been able to wear make-up, I have tried it and I hope it will work for me," he declared.

Such self-confidence is typical of Nagelsmann whose playing career was wrecked by a knee injury in 2008 while playing for Augsburg's reserves, aged just 20.

Current Paris Saint Germain boss Thomas Tuchel, who was coaching one of the Augsburg's junior teams at the time, spotted his potential and had Nagelsmann scout future opponents.

He joined Hoffenheim in Hoffenheim in 2010 as assistant coach of the club's Under-17 team, later coaching the Under-19 team to the 2014 national age-group title when he was less than 10 years older than his players.

Nagelsmann was born in the Bavarian town of Landsberg am Lech and before it was announced this June that he will coach RB Leipzig from 2019/20, the German media saw him as a Bayern Munich coach in waiting.

He fanned the flames last year by revealing he has had a house built in Munich, where his wife's parents live and stated "FC Bayern is a big part of my dream".

For now, the dream is getting one over on Guardiola.

Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann is plotting to outsmart his idol Pep Guardiola when Manchester City attempt to get their Champions League campaign back on track by winning in Germany on Tuesday.

Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann is plotting to outsmart his idol Pep Guardiola when Manchester City attempt to get their Champions League campaign back on track by winning in Germany on Tuesday. At 31, Nagelsmann is the youngest coach in Champions League history, and admits to being a keen student of Guardiola's methods. Now Nagelsmann hopes to thwart the Spanish master tactician in Hoffenheim's first home Champions League match in the club's history. "I don't know if it it's always an advantage to know Pep Guardiola, because then you know that he is doing so much the right way or the best way," said Nagelsmann. "It's not very easy to say exactly how he will set his team. "He has different ways to play against different opponents. "You can see a lot of similarities in his style, but also see a lot of differences. "As I said, it's not easy to approach his style of play, but I have a few ideas." In Sinsheim, City will be aiming to bounce back from their shock 2-1 loss at home to Lyon in their first Group F game, while Hoffenheim drew their opener 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk. Guardiola's City beat Brighton 2-0 at home at the weekend to go top of the Premier League, but Hoffenheim suffered their third defeat in six Bundesliga games on Saturday, losing 2-1 at home to RB Leipzig, who the ambitious Nagelsmann will coach next season. - In at the deep end - This is the first time Nagelsmann will go head-to-head with Guardiola, who coached Bayern Munich to three consecutive Bundesliga titles from 2013 to 2016 before joining City. There are elements to Nagelsmann's aggressive style with Hoffenheim which echo that of Guardiola, whose City team also like to press their opponents in their own half. Neither is afraid to take risks in selection or switch tactics mid-match. Nagelsmann became a rising star in German football when he was thrust from coaching Hoffenheim's Under-19 team to being tasked with maintaining the senior team in the Bundesliga. He was just 29 in February 2016 when he took charge of Hoffenheim -- a Bundesliga record for a permanent head coach -- with the team second from bottom. He only gained his coaching licence a month after his appointment, but the precarious situation did not faze the self-confident Nagelsmann. The former defender forged a strong team spirit, turning Hoffenheim from relegation contenders to Champions League qualifiers within two seasons. Despite his youth, Nagelsmann is street-wise with his answers in press conferences and carefully cultivates his public image. - Eye-brows - Just as current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made no secret of his hair transplant while in charge of Borussia Dortmund, Nagelsmann was equally open about his own cosmetic surgery. He was honest about having permanent make-up on his eye-brows when he sported a new look for the 3-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on the first day of the season in August. "Women have always been able to wear make-up, I have tried it and I hope it will work for me," he declared. Such self-confidence is typical of Nagelsmann whose playing career was wrecked by a knee injury in 2008 while playing for Augsburg's reserves, aged just 20. Current Paris Saint Germain boss Thomas Tuchel, who was coaching one of the Augsburg's junior teams at the time, spotted his potential and had Nagelsmann scout future opponents. He joined Hoffenheim in Hoffenheim in 2010 as assistant coach of the club's Under-17 team, later coaching the Under-19 team to the 2014 national age-group title when he was less than 10 years older than his players. Nagelsmann was born in the Bavarian town of Landsberg am Lech and before it was announced this June that he will coach RB Leipzig from 2019/20, the German media saw him as a Bayern Munich coach in waiting. He fanned the flames last year by revealing he has had a house built in Munich, where his wife's parents live and stated "FC Bayern is a big part of my dream". For now, the dream is getting one over on Guardiola.

Hoffenheim boss Nagelsmann plots to undo idol Guardiola

Japan striker Takashi Usami, one of the country&#39;s most coveted players, is set to join German Bundesliga side Augsburg, his J-League club, Gamba Osaka said today. 
 
The 24-year-old, who helped Gamba achieve a domestic treble in 2014 and has previously had spells at Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim, will play his final J-League game at home to Nagoya Grampus this weekend. 
 
Usami joined German giants Bayern on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances but ultimately failing to force his way into the side for Bundesliga games. 
 
The former J-League young player of the year subsequently moved on to Hoffenheim, where he endured a season of frustration before returning to Osaka, helping them return to the top flight after a season in division two. 
 
Augsburg, who finished 12th in the Bundesliga last season, currently have three South Korean internationals on their books, including former skipper Koo Ja-Cheol and former Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won. 
 
(AFP)

Takashi Usami joined Bayern Munich on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances

Japan striker Takashi Usami, one of the country's most coveted players, is set to join German Bundesliga side Augsburg, his J-League club, Gamba Osaka said today. The 24-year-old, who helped Gamba achieve a domestic treble in 2014 and has previously had spells at Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim, will play his final J-League game at home to Nagoya Grampus this weekend. Usami joined German giants Bayern on loan as a teenager in 2011 amid much fanfare in Japan, scoring six goals in 18 appearances but ultimately failing to force his way into the side for Bundesliga games. The former J-League young player of the year subsequently moved on to Hoffenheim, where he endured a season of frustration before returning to Osaka, helping them return to the top flight after a season in division two. Augsburg, who finished 12th in the Bundesliga last season, currently have three South Korean internationals on their books, including former skipper Koo Ja-Cheol and former Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won. (AFP)

Japan striker Usami set for Augsburg switch

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