There was nothing Hollywood (or FC Hollywood) about Hoffenheim’s victory at the 18th time of trying. It was all very real and credible
All things come to those who wait, and as Hoffenheim’s owner Dietmar Hopp said as night drew in on Tuesday: “The 18th attempt against Bayern was the most beautiful.”
Hopp, the 76-year-old software billionaire whose funds have propelled his local club from village obscurity to the Bundesliga’s podium, had every right to enjoy the moment. His team’s 17-match winless streak against German football’s gold standard had encompassed a mix of near misses and – naturally – a few genuine spankings, but this was no fluke or pig-headed rearguard action. Hoffenheim were simply better than Bayern on the night, even if the suspicion that Carlo Ancelotti and company had their forthcoming encounters with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid on their minds is a legitimate one.
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