Hoffenheim have prepared for the visit of Manchester City in the Champions League this evening with “quite magnificent” training technology.
That is how former Arsenal youngster and West Ham defender Havard Nordtveit describes the training ground at a Bundesliga club which was in the German fifth division at the turn of the millennium.
By the side of the main training pitch is a giant video screen on which the players can view footage of their next opponents and direct their training drills accordingly.
“I call it the high-tech club – we have all sorts of things,” Nordtveit told the BBC. “Our training centre is quite magnificent.
“On pitch number one we have a big screen on which we are evaluating the other teams when we are training instead of while we are sitting in a meeting room.”
The club’s video coach Timo Gross added: “We want to introduce this software to give live feedback to the players.
“I’m excited about how other teams might use this in other scenarios. I think there are other teams who are trying to go in this direction too.
“[But] I don’t know of any club using the big wall yet.”
Players have even been pictured sneaking in a game of FIFA on the screen after training.
FIFA goals ????
Hoffenheim players playing the game on a huge screen after a morning training session. pic.twitter.com/DYkcx9GGhb
— Online Sports Blog (@osportsblog) February 3, 2018
Hoffenheim’s head of international relations Lutz Pfannenstiel also demonstrated the Footbonaut room for the BBC, which sees balls fired at players who have to bring them under control then place a pass into squares which light up around them.
“It definitely increases the passing accuracy and speed – you realise more what’s happening around you,” he said.