Nathan De Cat made a decisive contribution in his official debut for Hoffenheim in the DFB Cup round. The Belgian winger, who comes from Anderlecht, was used on 22 August 2026 at the Sparkassen-Erzgebirgsstadion against Erzgebirge Aue. In the 4-2-3-1 he was positioned as a right winger and showed readiness from the start.
The transfer of De Cat for €18.5 million was a major event for Hoffenheim. His market value was estimated at €27 million, so the club secured a good price-performance ratio and hoped not to buy a "cat in a bag". The player has already shown a positive sign in his first game in the new colours.
Erzgebirge Aue, a third-division club, was De Cat's first German opponent in the DFB Cup round. The match took place at the Sparkassen-Erzgebirgsstadion, where Hoffenheim was set up in a 4-2-3-1. De Cat played as a right winger and was quickly involved in the attack.
Only after six minutes of play did Patrick Wimmer score the first goal for Hoffenheim. De Cat was part of this action: he played a ball from the back, briefly controlled it, and then passed it to Wimmer, who finished the play successfully. Whether it was a "true" assist was disputed, but De Cat was clearly part of the build-up phase.
De Cat's involvement showed that he quickly integrates into the game structure. His positioning as a right winger in the 4-2-3-1 gave him the opportunity to be active both in attack and in build-up. Wimmer's early goal was a clear starting point for the further development of the game.
Fans and media have positively received De Cat's debut. He has already proven himself as a valuable player in his first official appearance in the new colours. Hoffenheim can now rely on further contributions from De Cat in the coming season.
Patrick Wimmer's early goal was a clear starting point for the further development of the game.
