Super Eagles defender Kevin Akpoguma expects Hoffenheim's clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night to be as memorable as their meeting with Manchester City over six years ago, Soccernet.ng reports.
Tottenham are in Germany ahead of their Europa League matchday seven clash with Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena in Sinsheim.
It is one of the biggest games on Hoffenheim's calendar this season and Akpoguma has compared it with the Bundesliga club's famous clash with Manchester City in the Champions League in 2018.
Akpoguma, capable of playing as a right full-back, played at centre-back on that eventful night when Hoffenheim fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against the English Premier League giants.
Hoffenheim can not afford to lose at home to Tottenham, with the Germans only boasting six points from their first six games and are currently outside of the Europa League qualification spots.
Die Kraichgauer have not been excellent in the Bundesliga either, needing a win over Holstein Kiel at the weekend to climb out of the relegation zone.
It was the club's first win over their last ten games in all competitions and Akpoguma is convinced it could serve as a springboard to a great performance against Spurs.
“The biggest memory we have is the game against Manchester City a few years ago in the Champions League, that was our biggest highlight on the European stage,” Nigerian international Akpoguma said at the pre-match press conference.
“But now a team that is one of the absolute elite in Europe is coming to us in Sinsheim. You can definitely put that in the same category. We are really looking forward to the game.
“There is a lot at stake, we have to try everything to make the game a success. And regardless of the league table situation, we can show that we are a good team. The victory in Kiel brought positive energy to the team.
“We want to take that with us now. I am really looking forward to the game and see it as a big challenge. But it is not a bonus game for us, rather a very important game for which we have big plans.”
Akpoguma, who missed the Super Eagles train to the 2023 AFCON, is no longer the only Nigerian in the Hoffenheim ranks after Gift Orban joined from French side Lyon in the opening days of the winter transfer window.
Orban will look to make his Europa League debut for the Bundesliga side against Tottenham.
