Hoffenheim head into their UEFA Champions League home game against Lyon on Tuesday boosted by Saturday’s Reiss Nelson-inspired comeback at Nuremberg (kick-off: 9pm CEST/8pm BST/3pm ET).
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Teenager Nelson crowned his first Bundesliga start with a match-saving brace as TSG came from behind in Bavaria. Coach Julian Nagelsmann will be hoping for more of the same from the England U21 international – who also scored a stunning free-kick for his country during the international break – as Lyon arrive in Sinsheim. Hoffenheim, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season, will head into this tie against their French counterparts with confidence on the back of that result as they target a first win in the Champions League.
Lyon bounced back from a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain by beating Nimes 2-0 on Friday, but a long list of injuries leaves their coach Bruno Genesio short on options for the trip to Sinsheim. Club captain Nabil Fekir is ruled out with an ankle injury, which could also see him miss the reverse fixture in France. However, the attacking trio of Memphis Depay, Moussa Dembele and Bertrand Traore still pose a goalscoring threat for the Group F leaders. TSG forward Ishak Belfodil spent four years under contract at Lyon.
Watch: Reiss Nelson on his plans ahead of a busy week in Europe
Match stats
- This is the first competitive meeting between Hoffenheim and Lyon.
- TSG have never faced French opposition before, but OL have faced Bundesliga clubs 25 times (W11, D3, L11).
- Lyon have lost on their last two visits to Germany, where their record reads W4, D2, L7.
- Nelson has scored four goals in just 165 minutes for Hoffenheim.
- Nagelsmann is the Champions League’s youngest ever coach, debuting in September at the age of 31 years and 58 days.
- TSG’s Andrej Kramaric faced Fekir in the FIFA World Cup final in July, with the Hoffenheim forward finishing up on the losing side.
Probable line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann – Adams, Vogt, Bicakcic – Kaderabek, Grillitsch, Demirbay, Schulz – Nelson – Kramaric, Szalai
Absentees: Amiri (foot), Geiger (hamstring), Bittencourt (muscular), Posch (calf), Rupp (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Lyon: Lopes – Mendy, Marcelo, Denayer, Marcal – Ndombele, Diop, Aouar – Depay – Dembele, Terrier
Absentees: Fekir (ankle), Cornet (ankle), Dubois (thigh), Tete (adductor)
Coach: Bruno Genesio
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