Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann addresses squad injury crisis ahead of Crystal Palace clash

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TSG Hoffenheim captain Oliver Baumann has acknowledged the difficulties facing his side as Christian Ilzer’s injury-hit squad prepares for Thursday evening’s Europa League encounter against Crystal Palace. The 36-year-old goalkeeper remains convinced that the club can overcome its current problems, despite a disappointing start to the 2026/27 campaign and an increasingly severe personnel shortage.

Hoffenheim travel to London having collected just nine points from their opening eight Bundesliga fixtures. Three victories and five defeats leave the Kraichgau club in 12th place, a considerable contrast to the excellent form that secured a fifth-place finish and European qualification last season.

The inconsistency has been particularly frustrating given the considerable investment made in Ilzer’s squad over the summer. As examined in Get German Football News‘ extensive Hoffenheim tactical preview, sporting director Andreas Schicker substantially reinforced an already competitive squad, bringing in the likes of Nathan De Cat, Patrick Wimmer, Mats Rots, and Adam Daghim.

Hoffenheim’s €50m sale of Bazoumana Touré to Newcastle United provided the financial means to strengthen several positions. The return of Fisnik Asllani following the collapse of his proposed move to RB Leipzig also left Ilzer with an abundance of attacking options.

The results have nevertheless fallen short of expectations. Hoffenheim opened the campaign with consecutive 3-2 defeats against Köln and Borussia Dortmund before recording their first victory against VfB Stuttgart. Further losses to Paderborn and Hamburg followed.

Victories over Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen in October appeared to suggest that Hoffenheim were finally finding some consistency. The convincing 3-0 triumph over Leverkusen was particularly encouraging, but last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen halted the momentum.

Hoffenheim have also endured mixed fortunes in cup competition. Elimination against second-division Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal was another unwelcome setback, while their Europa League campaign has produced just three points from three matches.

A commanding 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyon demonstrated that Ilzer’s side remain capable of producing excellent performances. Nevertheless, defeats in their other two European fixtures have left them 23rd in the league-phase standings ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park.

Hoffenheim injury crisis severely restricts Ilzer’s options

The club’s mounting injury problems have now complicated the task of recovering lost ground. Hoffenheim are particularly short of defensive personnel. Valentin Gendrey remains sidelined with a fractured fibula, while Albian Hajdari is dealing with a foot injury. Czech international Robin Hranac became another casualty during the cup defeat in Kiel, suffering an injury to his left knee.

The situation is hardly more encouraging elsewhere in the squad. Summer recruit Nathan De Cat has been sidelined with a knee problem, while former Wolfsburg attacker Patrick Wimmer is unavailable because of a muscular injury. German international Bambasé Conté has also experienced adductor problems, while Vladimir Coufal’s availability has been affected by a thigh issue. Adam Hlozek has additionally joined the list of injured attackers.

The absences have forced Ilzer to rely more heavily on younger and less experienced players. With several established defenders unavailable, Hoffenheim’s usual selection options have been considerably reduced at precisely the moment when the club is attempting to balance Bundesliga and Europa League commitments.

The demanding schedule has also become a concern for Ilzer. As previously reported by Get German Football News, the Austrian recently criticized the increasing demands placed on players by international football and the congested European calendar. The current situation leaves Hoffenheim facing another difficult test in London, where a Crystal Palace side experiencing its own inconsistent domestic campaign awaits.

Oliver Baumann speaks on Hoffenheim’s difficult situation

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kicker, Baumann acknowledged that the growing personnel shortage has placed additional responsibility on the club’s senior players.

“There’s certainly going to be a little more responsibility on my shoulders, and on Andrej Kramaric’s as well,” Baumann explained. “That should allow the younger players to play freely. They shouldn’t feel the pressure or responsibility. They should simply be able to play their best football.”

“I see it as a challenge, a major challenge, but also a positive one,” Baumann nevertheless continued. “I think you can still draw a lot of energy from it. You can grow together. Difficult paths often bring people closer together and generate development. If everything were easy, you wouldn’t develop as much.”

Asked whether Thursday’s encounter with Crystal Palace could provide a defiant response to Hoffenheim’s recent problems, Baumann emphasized the importance of sustained improvement.

“It certainly could. Of course, it could be one of those special moments, but what I want much more is for us to develop over the long term,” the Hoffenheim captain explained. “I want us to grow even closer together than we already are. I want us to use this difficult path to develop, each individual, the team, and the club as a whole.”

Baumann concluded with a reminder of the challenges facing Hoffenheim.

“Nobody ever said it was going to be easy.”

GGFN | Peter Weis