Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen

Rangnick's team were more attack-minded after the break, with Rangnick bringing on Marco Terrazzino for Franco Zuculini, but the change did not bring the desired effect. Just after the break, Kroos scoring after lackadaisical defending to make it 2-0. 1899 were shocked, and were unable to offer anything more going forward. In fact it was quite the opposite; there were more defensive insecurities, and Barnetta scored after a cut back from Toni Kroos to make it 3-0. It was a deserved win for Leverkusen, but it was a game in which Rangnick's side played within themselves, considering that it wouldn't have been against the run of play if Hoffenheim had taken the lead in the first half. Leverkusen scored their goals at crucial points of the game psychologically for Hoffenheim, and through the 3-0 win Bayer 04 climb to the top of the table, with Hoffenheim in 9th

Ralf Rangnick
'We played well in the first half and we would have deserved the lead. We had three clear opportunities, which unfortunately we didn't use. It's just a bit difficult for us to score goals at the moment, and for us to regain our confidence.'

Jupp Heynckes
'We gave Hoffenheim two good opportunities through our own mistakes which they fortunately didn't take advantage of. It didn't seem to me that we were going to dominate the game based on our first half performance. But when we went 2-0 up just after the break, we were the only team in the game. Such games can be decided in the blink of an eye, but we are naturally delighted with a win against a top ten team like Hoffenheim.

Sejad Salihovic
Of course we're unhappy with the current situation, but of course I'm sure that we can get ourselves out of it.

Andreas Ibertsberger
The defeat was unnecessary. The first half was good for us, but the second goal at the start of the second half was a real killer blow. It didn't have to go that way for us today.

Vedad Ibisevic
We tried everything, but unfortunately we couldn't build on the good display in the first half.

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