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Hoffenheim logo
Bundesliga | Gameweek 32
May 3, 2024 at 7.30pm UK
Campo La Quinta
Leipzig logo

Hoffenheim
1 - 1
RB Leipzig

Kramaric (90')
Kabak (69')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Sesko (38')
Simons (55'), Raum (86')
Simons (72')

Preview: Hoffenheim vs. RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Friday's Bundesliga clash between Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Hoffenheim could slide into the bottom half of the Bundesliga table if this weekend's gameweek 32 clash with RB Leipzig at PreZero Arena goes awry.

The ninth-placed side were beaten last weekend by Bochum, and they host a Leipzig side that all but guaranteed a top-four finish by defeating Borussia Dortmund in gameweek 30.


Match preview

Hoffenheim's Maximilian Beier pictured on November 4, 2023© Reuters

Hoffenheim's mixed season took another negative turn when Bochum defeated the club in ninth in the previous round, as Pellegrino Matarazzo's men fell to a 14th loss in 2023-24, the most suffered in the top half in the Bundesliga.

That unexpected reverse to a relegation-threatened side was the second in three games and a fifth in seven league fixtures, continuing the club's slide.

Die Kraichgauer's failure to win games consistently could be linked to their inability to keep clean sheets, with last weekend's 3-2 loss continuing a drought without a successful rearguard action lasting seven months since September's 2-0 success at Union Berlin.

Oliver Baumann hopes to end that run without a shutout this weekend, even if it is now assured that the 33-year-old will not match last season's five clean sheets.

Despite the team's recent losses and continued run without preventing opponents from scoring, Matarazzo's side have secured consecutive wins on their turf, and the home support will hope for a third straight win at PreZero Arena.

RB Leipzig players celebrate after the match on April 13, 2024© Reuters

They face an uphill task against a Leipzig team in outstanding form, a sequence that saw Marco Rose's men score Borussia Dortmund four times to secure a 4-1 victory to make it four triumphs on the trot.

Beating BVB effectively saw the Red Bulls nick fourth place in the Bundesliga, even if fifth could suffice to make next season's Champions League as Germany are in the driver's seat to claim an extra spot.

Rose's men have accrued 22 from 24 points in the league since losing 2-1 to Bayern Munich at the end of February, helping Die Roten Bullen to open a five-point advantage over Dortmund and even close in on third-place Stuttgart.

Leipzig's recent run and Stuttgart's one-point-in-six wobble have given the Red Bulls a chance of rising into third in the campaign's final weeks, thus matching last season's top-flight placement.

With Bayern travelling to Sebastian Hoeness's side, who are two points ahead of Rose's men, Leipzig hope the Champions League semi-finalists do them a favour as they aim to win a fifth league game on the bounce, which could take them into third.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:


Team News

RB Leipzig's Lois Openda celebrates scoring their first goal on September 30, 2023© Reuters

Umut Tohumcu received his fifth booking of the season in last week's defeat by Bochum, ruling out the Hoffenheim teenager this weekend.

Dennis Geiger (adductor) is touch-and-go for the visit of Leipzig, but Bambase Conte (illness), Mergim Berisha (knee), Stanley Nsoki (hip) and Marco John (knee) should not feature for the hosts on Friday.

Rose does not have as many injury absentees, with Mohamed Simakan (calf) facing a race against time to feature this weekend, while Christopher Lenz (calf) is also doubtful.

Lois Openda (24 goals) and Benjamin Sesko (11) were unsurprisingly among the goals in the thrashing of Dortmund in round 31. Both should lead the attack again, keen to add to their respective Bundesliga tallies, as they aim to score for the fifth league game running.


Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Kabak, Grillitsch, Drexler; Kaderabek, Promel, Stach, Skov, Jurasek; Kramaric, Weghorst, Beier

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Henrichs, Orban, Castello, Raum; Olmo, Haidara, Schlager, Xavi; Sesko, Openda


SM words green background

We say: Hoffenheim 1-2 RB Leipzig

Friday's game has the potential to be high-scoring, with Hoffenheim failing to keep a clean sheet in 26 league matches and Leipzig conceding in 12 consecutive road games in the Bundesliga.

Leipzig are backed to continue their fine form in a match they enter as favourites, having defeated Hoffenheim in five straight matches in all competitions, losing once in 13 previous games against Die Kraichgauer.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Game History

How you voted: Hoffenheim vs RB Leipzig

Hoffenheim
8.7%
Draw
10.7%
RB Leipzig
80.5%
149
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Bayern MunichBayern97203272523
2RB Leipzig96211551020
3Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt95222314917
4Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen94412015516
5Borussia DortmundDortmund95131715216
6Freiburg95131311216
7Union BerlinUnion Berlin943298115
8Stuttgart93421716113
9Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach94141514113
10Werder Bremen93331520-512
11Augsburg93241320-711
12Heidenheim93151212010
13Mainz 05Mainz92431213-110
14Wolfsburg92341617-19
15St Pauli9225711-48
16Hoffenheim92251319-68
17Holstein Kiel91261123-125
18VfL BochumVfL Bochum9018929-201


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