TSG start mid-season preparations in Marbella

The TSG Hoffenheim senior squad departed for Spain on Friday, travelling from Zuzenhausen to Marbella via Frankfurt and Malaga. The players gathered at the training ground before heading for Frankfurt Airport and commencing the three-hour flight to Marbella. Once there, the TSG Team Bus will transport them to Westin La Quinta Golf Resort & Spa, where they will be based for the duration of their stay.

The first training session is scheduled to take place the same afternoon. Coach Alfred Schreuder's charges will additionally play friendlies against Dutch clubs Feyenoord (8 January at 15:30 CET) and ADO Den Haag (9 January at 15:30 CET) during the course of the training camp.

Among the travelling party are young players Ilay Elmkies, Melayro Bogarde und Franko Kovačević. "Our approach has consistently been to promote talented youngsters from the academy to our first-team squad and to ease them in. That's the philosophy and the DNA of TSG Hoffenheim," said Alexander Rosen. The director of football believes this is "further proof that TSG is serious about its promise to offer outstanding young talents top-prospects for the future".

Among the absentees in Spain are Robert Žulj, Joshua Brenet and Philipp Ochs. "All three are naturally not satisfied with the sporting situation and are searching for pastures new," said Alexander Rosen of a trio that have not made a single Bundesliga appearance in the first half of the season. "There have in some cases been concrete offers for the lads, meaning their involvement in the training camp wouldn't have made sense under the circumstances."