League leaders Bayern Munich will hope to maintain their four-point advantage at the top of the Bundesliga table when they host Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
The Bavarians have 39 points and managed to defeat Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 on January 11, whereas Hoffenheim were beaten 1-0 by Wolfsburg on the same date and are fourth last in 15th place with 14 points.
Match preview
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Bayern were unfortunate to have not scored multiple goals last time out considering they created eight big chances, produced over four xG and attempted 23 shots.
The victory was the first time that the league leaders had kept a clean sheet in any of their past seven games, and it was the eighth time that they have kept their opponents at bay in 16 Bundesliga matches.
Boss Vincent Kompany was delighted with his players' performances, hailing them for their showing in the club's first game of 2025 when he told reporters: "It's a very tough away game and the first game after the break. When you create as many chances as we did today, you want to score one, two or three more goals and decide the game. But we didn't.
"What I liked was the energy and mentality. We had many players out, but nobody complained. We fought and stayed calm until the end."
The Bavarians' record of 48 goals scored and 13 conceded are the best returns in the top flight, and their goal difference of 35 is 18 better than second-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
Kompany's side have been in excellent form domestically, with the club winning 12, drawing three and losing just one of their 16 Bundesliga fixtures, though they have been beaten in two of their past six games in all competitions.
It should be said that Bayern have won 13 of their 16 most recent home matches, and their only defeat at Allianz Arena in that period was against Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal on December 3, a fixture in which they were reduced to 10 men in the 17th minute.
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Hoffenheim only created one big chance against Wolfsburg, and though they produced 15 shots, eight of their attempts came from the 74th minute onwards.
Fans will rightly be concerned that results have still not improved under new manager Christian Ilzer, who was appointed in November after previous boss Pellegrino Matarazzo was sacked earlier that month.
Ilzer won 4-3 against RB Leipzig on November 23 in his first game in charge, but his side have since lost five and drawn three, succumbing to defeat in their last three games.
Die Kraichgauer have worryingly failed to score in five of their eight most recent fixtures, and their poor showings in front of goal have contributed to the fact the club are only one point above 16th-placed Heidenheim, who occupy the league's relegation playoff spot.
The visitors overcame Wurzburger Kickers on penalties in the DFB-Pokal on August 16 in their first away game of the season but are winless in their subsequent 11 outings on the road, losing six matches in that time.
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Team News
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Bayern will not be able to field defenders Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, Tarek Buchmann and Sacha Boey, as well as goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
Kompany is likely to name a similar defensive line to the one that played against Borussia Monchengladbach in front of Manuel Neuer, though Dayot Upamecano could come into the XI for Eric Dier.
Joao Palhinha is nearing a return but is still not available due to a groin injury, and this could mean that Joshua Kimmich is joined in a double pivot by Leon Goretzka.
As for Hoffenheim, their injury list has somewhat lessened in recent weeks, but they will still be without centre-backs Christopher Lenz and Ozan Kabak, so expect Arthur Chaves and Stanley N'Soki to start in central defence.
Midfielders Grischa Promel and Umut Tohumcu will not make the XI on Wednesday, and this likely means that Anton Stach will play alongside Diadie Samassekou.
Forwards Ihlas Bebou and Marius Bulter have also been ruled out, so perhaps Tom Bischof, Adam Hlozek and Andrej Kramaric will support striker Gift Orban.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Kane
Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Gendrey, Chaves, Nsoki, Prass; Stach, Samassekou; Bischof, Hlozek, Kramaric; Orban
We say: Bayern Munich 5-0 Hoffenheim
Bayern have been outstanding at home for some time, and it would be one of the most shocking results of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season were they to drop points at Allianz Arena against Hoffenheim.
Considering Kompany's side have been rampant in front of goal, they will be confident that they can add significantly to their impressive tally and boost their goal difference even further.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
