Hoffenheim will welcome title-chasing Borussia Dortmund to the PreZero Arena this Saturday in the 20th Round of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season.
Venue: PreZero Arena (Sinsheim)
Key Statistics
Hoffenheim are unbeaten in their last seven Bundesliga home matches, winning six.
Ihlas Bebou is Hoffenheim’s top scorer this term, with seven goals spread over three of his 15 league outings.
Andrej Kramaric has seven goals in nine Bundesliga meetings with Dortmund. He needs one more to bring up his 100th competitive strike in Hoffenheim’s colours (204 appearances).
Borussia Dortmund have won just three of 12 Bundesliga games in Sinsheim (D4, L5).
They have won just one of their last four away games in all competitions (D1, L2).
Erling Haaland has 55 goals in 56 Bundesliga outings and 79 in 78 for Dortmund in all competitions.
Marco Reus is set to make his 330th Bundesliga appearance. He has had a direct hand in 235 goals in that time, scoring 139 and setting up 96.
Head to head
In 29 head-to-head meetings between both sides, Dortmund hold the advantage. The visitors have won 12, lost seven and drawn ten of their last 29 meetings with Hoffenheim.
Latest performances in all competitions
Hoffenheim: L-L-W-D-D
Dortmund: L-W-W-L-W
Hoffenheim
After their DFB Cup heartbreak, Hoffenheim will turn their attention to the Bundesliga, where they welcome Borussia Dortmund.
The hosts were defeated by Freiburg on Wednesday in the DFB Pokal round of 16. A first-half brace from Vincenzo Grifo sent the visitors two-goal up in the first half, before Kevin Schade and Ermedin Demirovic scored to restore Freiburg’s lead after Hoffenheim had nicked a goal via Nico Schlotterbeck’s own goal.
However, in the league, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side were enjoying a seven-game unbeaten run that has catapulted them to fourth in the Bundesliga table. But that win was halted last week as they lost 2-1 to Union Berlin.
They can close the gap on second-placed Dortmund, who are currently nine points ahead if they win this tie.
The hosts have a good record at home having lost once on home soil all term. However, they have not won against their visitors in their last three head-to-head meetings.
Possible Hoffenheim starting line-ups
Oliver Baumann, Stefan Posch, Kevin Vogt, Chris Richards, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Sebastian Rudy, Christoph Baumgartner, Dennis Geiger, David Raum, Andrej Kramaric, Mu’nas Dabbur.
Injured: Pavel Kaderabek, Ermin Bicakcic, Robert Skov
Doubtful: Florian Grillitsch
Suspended: None
Borussia Dortmund
Like their hosts, Borussia Dortmund also suffered a disappointment in their midweek DFB Pokal game.
Marco Rose’s side were beaten 2-1 by lowly St Pauli, ending their defence of the DFB Pokal title they won last season.
The visitors have started 2022 with two victories – an impressive come-from-behind triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt and a 5-1 thrashing of Freiburg.
They will now look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Sinsheim this weekend.
However, they have won just two of their last five away league games (D1, L2) and come into this tie with the fifth-best away record this term.
With six points between them and Bayern Munich who are at the top of the league table, Dortmund will be desperate to avoid a defeat in this tie.
Possible Dortmund starting line-ups
Gregor Kobel, Thomas Meunier, Manuel Akanji, Mats Hummels, Raphael Guerreiro, Julian Brandt, Axel Witsel, Jude Bellingham, Marco Reus, Erling Braut Haaland, Donyell Malen.
Injured: Mateu Morey
Doubtful: Giovanni Reyna, Marcel Schmelzer
Suspended: None
Prediction
Hoffenheim 1-3 BVB
