diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/jsonfactory/ComparisonReportWriter.java b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/jsonfactory/ComparisonReportWriter.java
index 914d58672..28445ab36 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/jsonfactory/ComparisonReportWriter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/jsonfactory/ComparisonReportWriter.java
@@ -98,17 +98,30 @@ private Match convertMatchToReportMatch(JPlagComparison comparison, de.jplag.Mat
         List<Token> tokensFirst = comparison.firstSubmission().getTokenList().subList(match.startOfFirst(), match.endOfFirst() + 1);
         List<Token> tokensSecond = comparison.secondSubmission().getTokenList().subList(match.startOfSecond(), match.endOfSecond() + 1);
 
-        Comparator<? super Token> lineComparator = Comparator.comparingInt(Token::getLine);
+        Comparator<? super Token> lineComparator = Comparator.comparingInt(Token::getLine).thenComparingInt(Token::getColumn);
 
         Token startOfFirst = tokensFirst.stream().min(lineComparator).orElseThrow();
         Token endOfFirst = tokensFirst.stream().max(lineComparator).orElseThrow();
         Token startOfSecond = tokensSecond.stream().min(lineComparator).orElseThrow();
         Token endOfSecond = tokensSecond.stream().max(lineComparator).orElseThrow();
 
-        return new Match(
-                FilePathUtil.getRelativeSubmissionPath(startOfFirst.getFile(), comparison.firstSubmission(), submissionToIdFunction).toString(),
-                FilePathUtil.getRelativeSubmissionPath(startOfSecond.getFile(), comparison.secondSubmission(), submissionToIdFunction).toString(),
-                startOfFirst.getLine(), endOfFirst.getLine(), startOfSecond.getLine(), endOfSecond.getLine(), match.length());
+        String firstFileName = FilePathUtil.getRelativeSubmissionPath(startOfFirst.getFile(), comparison.firstSubmission(), submissionToIdFunction)
+                .toString();
+        String secondFileName = FilePathUtil.getRelativeSubmissionPath(startOfSecond.getFile(), comparison.secondSubmission(), submissionToIdFunction)
+                .toString();
+
+        int startLineFirst = startOfFirst.getLine();
+        int startColumnFirst = startOfFirst.getColumn();
+        int endLineFirst = endOfFirst.getLine();
+        int endColumnFirst = endOfFirst.getColumn() + endOfFirst.getLength() - 1;
+
+        int startLineSecond = startOfSecond.getLine();
+        int startColumnSecond = startOfSecond.getColumn();
+        int endLineSecond = endOfSecond.getLine();
+        int endColumnSecond = endOfSecond.getColumn() + endOfSecond.getLength() - 1;
+
+        return new Match(firstFileName, secondFileName, startLineFirst, startColumnFirst, endLineFirst, endColumnFirst, startLineSecond,
+                startColumnSecond, endLineSecond, endColumnSecond, match.length());
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/reportobject/model/Match.java b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/reportobject/model/Match.java
index 8af13af20..5ef5d728c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/reportobject/model/Match.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/reporting/reportobject/model/Match.java
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
 
 public record Match(@JsonProperty("file1") String firstFileName, @JsonProperty("file2") String secondFileName,
-        @JsonProperty("start1") int startInFirst, @JsonProperty("end1") int endInFirst, @JsonProperty("start2") int startInSecond,
-        @JsonProperty("end2") int endInSecond, @JsonProperty("tokens") int tokens) {
+        @JsonProperty("start1") int startInFirst, @JsonProperty("start1_col") int startColumnInFirst, @JsonProperty("end1") int endInFirst,
+        @JsonProperty("end1_col") int endColumnInFirst, @JsonProperty("start2") int startInSecond,
+        @JsonProperty("start2_col") int startColumnInSecond, @JsonProperty("end2") int endInSecond, @JsonProperty("end2_col") int endColumnInSecond,
+        @JsonProperty("tokens") int tokens) {
 }
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodeLine.vue b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodeLine.vue
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d2b2ab99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodeLine.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+<template>
+  <div
+    class="col-span-1 col-start-2 row-span-1 flex w-full cursor-default"
+    :class="{ 'cursor-pointer': matches.length > 0 }"
+    :style="{
+      gridRowStart: lineNumber
+    }"
+    ref="lineRef"
+  >
+    <div
+      v-for="(part, index) in textParts"
+      :key="index"
+      class="print-excact h-full last:flex-1"
+      @click="matchSelected(part.match)"
+      :style="{
+        background:
+          part.match != undefined
+            ? getMatchColor(0.3, part.match.match.colorIndex)
+            : 'hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0)'
+      }"
+    >
+      <pre
+        v-html="part.line"
+        class="code-font print-excact break-child !bg-transparent print:whitespace-pre-wrap"
+      ></pre>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import type { MatchInSingleFile } from '@/model/MatchInSingleFile'
+import { getMatchColor } from '@/utils/ColorUtils'
+import { ref } from 'vue'
+
+const props = defineProps({
+  lineNumber: {
+    type: Number,
+    required: true
+  },
+  line: {
+    type: String,
+    required: true
+  },
+  matches: {
+    type: Array<MatchInSingleFile>,
+    required: true
+  }
+})
+
+const emit = defineEmits(['matchSelected'])
+
+function matchSelected(match?: MatchInSingleFile) {
+  if (match) {
+    emit('matchSelected', match.match)
+  }
+}
+
+const lineRef = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
+
+function scrollTo() {
+  if (lineRef.value) {
+    lineRef.value.scrollIntoView({ block: 'center' })
+  }
+}
+
+defineExpose({ scrollTo })
+
+interface TextPart {
+  line: string
+  match?: MatchInSingleFile
+}
+let lineIndex = ref(0)
+let colIndex = ref(0)
+
+function computeTextParts() {
+  if (props.matches.length == 0) {
+    return [{ line: props.line }]
+  }
+
+  const sortedMatches = Array.from(props.matches)
+    .sort((a, b) => a.startColumn - b.startColumn)
+    .sort((a, b) => a.start - b.start)
+  let lineParts: {
+    start: number
+    end: number
+    match?: MatchInSingleFile
+  }[] = []
+
+  if (sortedMatches[0].start == props.lineNumber && sortedMatches[0].startColumn > 0) {
+    const end = sortedMatches[0].startColumn - 1
+    lineParts.push({ start: 0, end: end })
+  }
+
+  const start = sortedMatches[0].start == props.lineNumber ? sortedMatches[0].startColumn : 0
+  const end =
+    sortedMatches[0].end == props.lineNumber ? sortedMatches[0].endColumn : props.line.length
+  lineParts.push({ start: start, end: end, match: sortedMatches[0] })
+
+  let matchIndex = 1
+  while (matchIndex < sortedMatches.length) {
+    const match = sortedMatches[matchIndex]
+    const prevMatchPart = lineParts[matchIndex - 1]
+    if (prevMatchPart.end + 1 < match.startColumn) {
+      const end = match.startColumn - 1
+      lineParts.push({ start: prevMatchPart.end + 1, end: end })
+    }
+    const end = match.end == props.lineNumber ? match.endColumn : props.line.length
+    lineParts.push({ start: match.startColumn, end: end, match })
+    matchIndex++
+  }
+
+  if (lineParts[lineParts.length - 1].end < props.line.length) {
+    lineParts.push({ start: lineParts[lineParts.length - 1].end + 1, end: props.line.length })
+  }
+
+  let textParts: TextPart[] = []
+  lineIndex.value = 0
+  colIndex.value = 0
+
+  for (const matchPart of lineParts) {
+    const line = getNextLinePartTillColumn(matchPart.end)
+    textParts.push({ line, match: matchPart.match })
+  }
+
+  return textParts
+}
+
+const textParts = computeTextParts()
+
+function getNextLinePartTillColumn(endCol: number) {
+  let part = ''
+  while (colIndex.value <= endCol && lineIndex.value < props.line.length) {
+    // spans from highlighting do not count as characters in the code
+    if (props.line[lineIndex.value] == '<') {
+      while (props.line[lineIndex.value] != '>') {
+        part += props.line[lineIndex.value]
+        lineIndex.value++
+      }
+      part += props.line[lineIndex.value]
+      lineIndex.value++
+    } else if (props.line[lineIndex.value] == '\t') {
+      // display tabs properly
+      part += '    '
+      lineIndex.value++
+      colIndex.value += 8
+    } else if (props.line[lineIndex.value] == '&') {
+      // html escape characters for e.g. <,>,&
+      while (props.line[lineIndex.value] != ';') {
+        part += props.line[lineIndex.value]
+        lineIndex.value++
+      }
+      lineIndex.value++
+      colIndex.value++
+    } else {
+      part += props.line[lineIndex.value]
+      lineIndex.value++
+      colIndex.value++
+    }
+  }
+  return part
+}
+</script>
+
+<style scoped>
+.code-font {
+  font-family: 'JetBrains Mono NL', monospace !important;
+}
+
+@media print {
+  .break-child *,
+  .break-child {
+    word-break: break-word;
+  }
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodePanel.vue b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodePanel.vue
index 506936f51..75010c1ea 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodePanel.vue
+++ b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/CodePanel.vue
@@ -22,39 +22,31 @@
 
     <div class="mx-1 overflow-x-auto print:!mx-0 print:overflow-x-hidden">
       <div class="print:display-initial w-fit min-w-full !text-xs" :class="{ hidden: collapsed }">
-        <table
+        <div
           v-if="file.data.trim() !== ''"
-          class="w-full print:table-auto"
-          :aria-describedby="`Content of file ${file.fileName}`"
+          class="grid w-full grid-cols-[auto_1fr] gap-x-2 print:table-auto"
         >
+          <div
+            v-for="(_, index) in codeLines"
+            :key="index"
+            class="col-span-1 col-start-1 row-span-1 text-right"
+            :style="{
+              gridRowStart: index + 1
+            }"
+          >
+            {{ index + 1 }}
+          </div>
           <!-- One row in table per code line -->
-          <tr
+          <CodeLine
             v-for="(line, index) in codeLines"
             :key="index"
-            class="w-full cursor-default"
-            :class="{ 'cursor-pointer': line.match !== null }"
-            @click="lineSelected(index)"
-          >
-            <!-- Line number -->
-            <td class="float-right pr-3">{{ index + 1 }}</td>
-            <!-- Code line -->
-            <td
-              class="print-excact w-full"
-              :style="{
-                background:
-                  line.match !== null
-                    ? getMatchColor(0.3, line.match.colorIndex)
-                    : 'hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0)'
-              }"
-            >
-              <pre
-                v-html="line.line"
-                class="code-font print-excact break-child !bg-transparent print:whitespace-pre-wrap"
-                ref="lineRefs"
-              ></pre>
-            </td>
-          </tr>
-        </table>
+            ref="lineRefs"
+            :line="line.line"
+            :lineNumber="index + 1"
+            :matches="line.matches"
+            @matchSelected="(match) => matchSelected(match)"
+          />
+        </div>
 
         <div v-else class="flex flex-col items-start overflow-x-auto">
           <i>Empty File</i>
@@ -68,12 +60,12 @@
 import type { MatchInSingleFile } from '@/model/MatchInSingleFile'
 import { ref, nextTick, type PropType, computed, type Ref } from 'vue'
 import Interactable from '../InteractableComponent.vue'
-import type { Match } from '@/model/Match'
 import type { SubmissionFile } from '@/model/File'
 import { highlight } from '@/utils/CodeHighlighter'
 import type { Language } from '@/model/Language'
-import { getMatchColor } from '@/utils/ColorUtils'
 import ToolTipComponent from '../ToolTipComponent.vue'
+import CodeLine from './CodeLine.vue'
+import type { Match } from '@/model/Match'
 
 const props = defineProps({
   /**
@@ -99,24 +91,22 @@ const props = defineProps({
   }
 })
 
-const emit = defineEmits(['lineSelected'])
+const emit = defineEmits(['matchSelected'])
 
 const collapsed = ref(true)
-const lineRefs = ref<HTMLElement[]>([])
+const lineRefs = ref<(typeof CodeLine)[]>([])
 
-const codeLines: Ref<{ line: string; match: null | Match }[]> = computed(() =>
+const codeLines: Ref<{ line: string; matches: MatchInSingleFile[] }[]> = computed(() =>
   highlight(props.file.data, props.highlightLanguage).map((line, index) => {
     return {
       line,
-      match: props.matches?.find((m) => m.start <= index + 1 && index + 1 <= m.end)?.match ?? null
+      matches: props.matches?.filter((m) => m.start <= index + 1 && index + 1 <= m.end) ?? []
     }
   })
 )
 
-function lineSelected(lineIndex: number) {
-  if (codeLines.value[lineIndex].match !== null) {
-    emit('lineSelected', codeLines.value[lineIndex].match)
-  }
+function matchSelected(match: Match) {
+  emit('matchSelected', match)
 }
 
 /**
@@ -126,7 +116,7 @@ function lineSelected(lineIndex: number) {
 function scrollTo(lineNumber: number) {
   collapsed.value = false
   nextTick(function () {
-    lineRefs.value[lineNumber - 1].scrollIntoView({ block: 'center' })
+    lineRefs.value[lineNumber - 1].scrollTo()
   })
 }
 
@@ -154,16 +144,3 @@ function getFileDisplayName(file: SubmissionFile): string {
     : file.fileName
 }
 </script>
-
-<style scoped>
-.code-font {
-  font-family: 'JetBrains Mono NL', monospace !important;
-}
-
-@media print {
-  .break-child *,
-  .break-child {
-    word-break: break-word;
-  }
-}
-</style>
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/FilesContainer.vue b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/FilesContainer.vue
index 58c394e4e..1e9b2365e 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/FilesContainer.vue
+++ b/report-viewer/src/components/fileDisplaying/FilesContainer.vue
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
             !matches.get(file.fileName) ? [] : (matches.get(file.fileName) as MatchInSingleFile[])
           "
           :highlight-language="highlightLanguage"
-          @line-selected="(match) => $emit('lineSelected', match)"
+          @match-selected="(match) => $emit('matchSelected', match)"
           class="mt-1 first:mt-0"
         />
       </VueDraggableNext>
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ const props = defineProps({
   }
 })
 
-defineEmits(['lineSelected'])
+defineEmits(['matchSelected'])
 
 const codePanels: Ref<(typeof CodePanel)[]> = ref([])
 
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/model/Match.ts b/report-viewer/src/model/Match.ts
index 21a597af0..e03451371 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/model/Match.ts
+++ b/report-viewer/src/model/Match.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,13 @@ export interface Match {
   firstFile: string
   secondFile: string
   startInFirst: number
+  startColumnInFirst: number
   endInFirst: number
+  endColumnInFirst: number
   startInSecond: number
+  startColumnInSecond: number
   endInSecond: number
+  endColumnInSecond: number
   tokens: number
   colorIndex?: number
 }
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/model/MatchInSingleFile.ts b/report-viewer/src/model/MatchInSingleFile.ts
index bcaae43c0..e959d47e0 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/model/MatchInSingleFile.ts
+++ b/report-viewer/src/model/MatchInSingleFile.ts
@@ -40,4 +40,20 @@ export class MatchInSingleFile {
       return this._match.endInSecond
     }
   }
+
+  get startColumn(): number {
+    if (this._index === 1) {
+      return this._match.startColumnInFirst
+    } else {
+      return this._match.startColumnInSecond
+    }
+  }
+
+  get endColumn(): number {
+    if (this._index === 1) {
+      return this._match.endColumnInFirst
+    } else {
+      return this._match.endColumnInSecond
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/model/factories/ComparisonFactory.ts b/report-viewer/src/model/factories/ComparisonFactory.ts
index d6257e93e..98097f605 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/model/factories/ComparisonFactory.ts
+++ b/report-viewer/src/model/factories/ComparisonFactory.ts
@@ -123,9 +123,13 @@ export class ComparisonFactory extends BaseFactory {
       firstFile: slash(match.file1 as string),
       secondFile: slash(match.file2 as string),
       startInFirst: match.start1 as number,
+      startColumnInFirst: ((match['start1_col'] as number) || 1) - 1,
       endInFirst: match.end1 as number,
+      endColumnInFirst: ((match['end1_col'] as number) || Infinity) - 1,
       startInSecond: match.start2 as number,
+      startColumnInSecond: ((match['start2_col'] as number) || 1) - 1,
       endInSecond: match.end2 as number,
+      endColumnInSecond: ((match['end2_col'] as number) || Infinity) - 1,
       tokens: match.tokens as number
     }
   }
diff --git a/report-viewer/src/views/ComparisonView.vue b/report-viewer/src/views/ComparisonView.vue
index 58380799a..b901b8d4a 100644
--- a/report-viewer/src/views/ComparisonView.vue
+++ b/report-viewer/src/views/ComparisonView.vue
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@
         :matches="comparison.matchesInFirstSubmission"
         :file-owner-display-name="store().getDisplayName(comparison.firstSubmissionId)"
         :highlight-language="language"
-        @line-selected="showMatchInSecond"
+        @match-selected="showMatchInSecond"
         class="max-h-0 min-h-full flex-1 overflow-hidden print:max-h-none print:overflow-y-visible"
       />
       <FilesContainer
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
         :matches="comparison.matchesInSecondSubmissions"
         :file-owner-display-name="store().getDisplayName(comparison.secondSubmissionId)"
         :highlight-language="language"
-        @line-selected="showMatchInFirst"
+        @match-selected="showMatchInFirst"
         class="max-h-0 min-h-full flex-1 overflow-hidden print:max-h-none print:overflow-y-visible"
       />
     </div>