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Berlin (dpa) - Bruno Labbadia chose clear words.
"It feels like shit," said the Hertha BSC coach after the 0: 3 (0: 1) against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sky TV.
While his colleague Sebastian Hoeneß strengthened his position in the city of his youth with the first victory of the year, Labbadia in Berlin are facing really difficult days.
Sebastian Rudy (33rd minute) and Andrej Kramaric (68th / 88th) scored the goals for the conciliatory first half of the season for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Tuesday evening in the Olympiastadion and ended the discussions about Hoeneß's future as a coach at the TSG.
Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann (11th) parried a penalty from Hertha striker Krzysztof Piatek.
“We don't score enough, that broke our necks today,” said Labbadia.
"At the moment we are not able to be stable enough."
With the victory, Hoffenheim jumped to eleventh place for the time being.
"I'm proud of the boys and the club," said TSG sports director Alexander Rosen, referring to the numerous personnel problems this season with injuries and positive corona tests.
"Great joy, yes, but not euphoria."
At Hertha, however, the situation worsens seriously after the third game in a row without any sense of achievement.
Instead of advancing into the European Cup regions, the Berliners end the first half series just a few points before the relegation zone.
The promised January upswing has fizzled out.
At the start of the second half of the season on Saturday against Werder Bremen, Labbadia has to deliver points.
"We are challenged today, we really want our second home win this year, that would be good for us," said Labbadia shortly before kick-off.
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The hosts showed their unconditional will.
Hertha determined the initial phase, the effort to build an orderly game was clearly visible.
All the more bitter for the Berliners that Piatek failed early with the penalty to Baumann.
The Hoffenheim goalkeeper underlined his reputation as a penalty killer: Since the start of the 2011/12 season, only ex-Leverkusen-based Bernd Leno has saved more penalties (9) than Baumann (8).
Whether bluff or miracle healing - surprisingly Matheus Cunha was in the starting line-up of the Berlin team.
The day before, Labbadia had categorically excluded the Brazilian from playing in the starting line-up because of his groin problems.
The 21-year-old replaced Dodi Lukebakio in attacking midfield, with whom Labbadia was recently dissatisfied.
Lukebakio came on as the 17-year-old Luca Netz in the 60th minute.
Cunha got off to a good start and tried to liven up and inspire the hosts' game, but also suffered one or two weaknesses such as a bad pass to Hoffenheim's Andrej Kramaric, who had no consequences (42nd).
Not so before, on the other hand, when Maximilian Mittelstädt let Christoph Baumgartner dup - and Rudy overcame Berlin goalkeeper Aleander Schwolow.
But Hertha had better opportunities not only because of the penalty.
Above all, Jhon Cordoba (17th / ball not hit, 22nd / traverse kick, 31st / headball) should have scored before half time.
«We lacked the killer instinct we needed.
You have to make a goal out of the chances, ”said Hertha sports director Arne Friedrich at the break.
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After the change it was Cordoba again that had chance number one, but overall the appearance of the Berliners was too unimaginative and uncreative.
As much as Labbadia gestured on the line, he didn't seem to be reaching his team.
Hoeneß, on the other hand, who came to Berlin at the age of 17, was allowed to celebrate two more hits when Kramaric hit the turn seven meters from the goal and increased it to 3-0 with a free kick shortly before the end.
Information about the game on the Bundesliga homepage