Rangnick plays down Hoffenheim title hopes
Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick believes it is "unrealistic'' to consider his side Bundesliga title contenders this season despite his side winning their first three matches of the new camapign.
Rangnick guided Hoffe to a seventh place finish in 2009-10 - the club's first ever campaign in the Bundesliga - and his side were the surprise package of German football as they raced to the top of the table at the halfway point of the season.
Hoffenheim currently lead the way again but Rangnick insists his players are not wasting their energy on thinking about winning the title this year as they have learnt from their previous experience.
"We are not thinking about it at all,'' Rangnick said. "That is absolutely unrealistic. We are preparing with full concentration for our next opponent.
"Only that way have we any chance of beating them. We have learnt that the weight of expectation damages us.''
Rangnick is confident that his team is not getting carried away with their sensational start to the season, even if the fans may be.
"There are no signs of euphoria,'' he told Sport1.de. "And if the fans celebrate in the stands like they did against Schalke, then we have no problem with that whatsoever.''
