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Pellegrino Matarazzo is the new head coach of TSG Hoffenheim. For the 45-year-old Italian-American, the move represents a return to his old stomping ground. Between July 2017 and December 2019, Matarazzo worked first as U-17 coach and then as assistant coach of the first team. He has penned a contract until June 30, 2025.
“Rino not only knows our club but also the vast majority of the first-team squad from his own experience. By the same token, we also know him and are therefore convinced that he is the right man for the head coach job,” said TSG director of football Alexander Rosen, who continued: “He not only led VfB Stuttgart to promotion but also proved his qualities by keeping them in the Bundesliga. He can cope with pressure and knows what is required in this situation. His philosophy of play, his vision of football and his way of dealing with people make him a 100% fit for TSG and its approach – well beyond the current situation.”
“As I’ve been living in the region since 2017, I’ve witnessed TSG’s development first-hand even after my departure and have followed it particularly closely due to my history with the club. The situation is undoubtedly demanding,” said Pellegrino Matarazzo. “I’m convinced of the team’s quality and will approach the task full of verve and with great confidence. TSG is synonymous with offensive, courageous and fresh football. I want to quickly get the team back to playing the kind of football that has set them apart for many years and that they’ve already impressively shown on the pitch this season,” explained the new coach, who will oversee his first training session on Wednesday and then the home game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the PreZero Arena three days later (Saturday, February 11, 15:30h CET).
Pellegrino Matarazzo started his coaching career at 1.FC Nuremberg in 2010. Between 2010 and 2017, he coached the reserves and then the U-17 and U-19 junior teams. On the initiative of former TSG coach Julian Nagelsmann, who completed the DFB coaching course with Matarazzo, he initially took up a role with the Hoffenheim academy in July 2017, before joining Nagelsmann’s coaching team half a year later. Matarazzo also remained in the assistant coach role under his successor Alfred Schreuder, before joining VfB Stuttgart as head coach on 30/12/2019. He guided the Swabians to Bundesliga promotion and a ninth-placed finish the following season. He also kept VfB in the division in the 2021/22 campaign. After almost three years and 100 games in charge, Matarazzo was dismissed on 10 October 2022.
