Hoffenheim are now into their third season in the top flight having made a glorious start to their first season, leading at the midway stage before falling out of the top seven, while they lacked consistency last season.

This season should be different, explained Rangnick.

"We have high expectations," he said. "Overall, this was a great start, but we now have to continue this way.

"We looked really good in the first half and to lead 4-1 at the break was a fantastic result.

"We left Bremen no air to breathe."

Bremen need to pick up the pieces fast as they have a 15million euro match in Genoa on Tuesday.

That is the amount of money they can expect to earn for qualifying for the Champions League, but after this result, the 3-1 advantage they earned from the first leg against Sampdoria no longer looks so strong.

"If we play like this again, then it is not going to be enough," admitted Bremen's director of sport Klaus Allofs.

"We were negligent and that is how you lose games 4-1."