Hoffenheim – Bayer Leverkusen : Preview & Prediction
Sitting just three points above the relegation zone before the weekend, Hoffenheim desperately need points to help them head towards mid-table. A nine-game winless streak in the league (E2, P7) is to blame for their perilous position and ultimately cost coach André Breitenreiter his job, with Hoffenheim wielding the axe on him after a humiliating 5-2 loss to Bochum the previous matchday.
Former Southampton coach Ralph Hasenhüttl was among the first names linked with the vacant job, but with no news on who will be in charge against Leverkusen, Hoffenheim’s preparation is far from ideal. It’s hard to find many positives for a coachless Hoffenheim at the moment, but with three wins in the last six games against Bayer Leverkusen (E1, P2), perhaps there is room for cautious optimism.
Leverkusen’s run to the European places has faltered of late, with consecutive league defeats without being able to score bringing their five-game Bundesliga winning streak to an end. With the resumption of the UEFA Europa League on the horizon after this clash, Leverkusen would be forgiven for having half an eye on their next trip to Monaco, although they should be buoyed by the fact that a win here could take them into the top half and up to eighth place at best.
It remains to be seen how Leverkusen recover as they look to climb the table, with this being their first run of consecutive Bundesliga defeats under Xabi Alonso. Another defeat here would mark three in a row in the league for the first time since August 2022, but to find three in a row without scoring for the last time would have to go back to September 2015, a run that culminated in a 3-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund.
Players to watch: After scoring his 25th career Bundesliga goal against Bochum the previous matchday, Hoffenheim’s Christoph Baumgartner will be hoping to add to that tally against a Leverkusen side he has scored against the last two times he has faced them. Piero Hincapie has found his way into the referee’s notebook, having been cautioned in seven of his last 13 appearances for Leverkusen.
Big Fact: Hoffenheim is the Bundesliga’s worst performing team at home during the first half (MT: G1, E6, P3).
Hoffenheim – Bayer Leverkusen : Betting Tips
Bayer Leverkusen – Win Odds: 2.25
