Erzgebirge Aue vs Hoffenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

Hoffenheim volition footwear disconnected their competitory play connected Saturday, with a DFB-Pokal first-round showdown against Erzgebirge Aue at Eins Erzgebirgsstadion.

The fourth-tier Violets are the underdogs, but Die Kraichgauer request to beryllium wary aft failing to triumph immoderate of their past 3 pre-season friendlies.

Match preview

Khvicha Shubitidze's Aue qualified for the archetypal circular of the DFB-Pokal by winning the 2025-26 Saxony Cup, and they volition beryllium keen to marque their people against the likelihood this weekend.

That being said, the Violets person not progressed beyond the opening signifier of this contention since 2019-20, erstwhile they bushed Wacker Nordhausen 4-1.

Counting against the hosts' chances further is the information that they were relegated from the 3. Liga past term, finishing 18th and dropping down into the Regionalliga Nordost arsenic a result.

However, fans of Shubitidze's broadside volition instrumentality bosom from the information that Aue person mislaid conscionable 1 of their 5 competitory outings truthful acold this play - 3-1 against Chemnitzer connected August 15 - winning 3 times and drafting once.

Additionally, the Violets person scored successful each of their past 12 matches, and are unbeaten crossed their six astir caller competitory clashes connected location turf, triumphing 2-1 implicit Preussen Berlin and 3-2 against BFC Dynamo successful the 2 preceding footwear off.

Meanwhile, Christian Ilzer's Hoffenheim enjoyed a beardown 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign, and are raring to get this play underway contempt the disappointment of missing retired connected Champions League football.

Die Kraichgauer prepared for 2026-27 with a packed docket featuring 8 friendlies, a gauntlet that began with 5 consecutive victories for the Bundesliga club, including a monstrous 21-0 demolition of SV Massenbachhausen connected July 22.

However, Ilzer's men were fixed a world cheque connected August 7, erstwhile they were downed 4-1 by Borussia Monchengladbach, a effect that was peculiarly frustrating considering that Bambase Conte had fixed them the pb successful the archetypal half.

That nonaccomplishment was followed up with a 3-0 beating by Tottenham Hotspur connected August 15 and a 2-2 stalemate against the Lilywhites a time later, meaning that Die Kraichgauer caput into this play without a triumph successful 3 matches.

Hoffenheim volition beryllium seen arsenic the overwhelming favourites to progress, careless of their caller affable form, but fans volition beryllium cautious of a imaginable embarrassment fixed that Saturday's visitors person won two, drawn 2 and mislaid 3 of their past 7 competitory distant games.

Erzgebirge Aue signifier (all competitions):

Hoffenheim friendlies form:

Team News

Aue volition beryllium without versatile right-back Jonas Kehl connected Saturday, arsenic helium works his mode to afloat fittingness pursuing an ankle injury, though Nils Lihsek should beryllium connected manus to commencement astatine close wing-back.

Elsewhere, near midfielder Chadi Ramadan is recovering from a ligament injury, truthful expect to see Tim Maciejewski run connected the near of a trio featuring Simon Skarlatidis and Linus Queisser down striker Marcel Bar.

As for Hoffenheim, they are missing talisman Andrej Kramaric owed to the groin wounded helium suffered astatine World Cup 2026, truthful Patrick Wimmer, Bambase Conte and Adam Daghim look acceptable to enactment centre-forward Adam Hlozek up top.

At the other extremity of the pitch, Robin Hranac and Albian Hajdari whitethorn commencement astatine the bosom of the visitors' defence, flanked by full-backs Vladimir Coufal and Mats Rots.

In midfield, Ilzer could opt for a treble pivot of Nathan De Cat and Leon Avdullahu, successful bid to springiness the squad stableness in the centre of the parkland connected Saturday.

Erzgebirge Aue imaginable starting lineup:

Uhlig; Lihsek, Kokovas, Strietzel, Burghardt, Kapp; Angleberger; Maciejewski, Skarlatidis, Queisser; Bar

Hoffenheim imaginable starting lineup:

Baumann; Coufal, Hranac, Hajdari, Rots; De Cat, Avdullahu; Wimmer, Conte, Daghim; Hlozek

We say: Erzgebirge Aue 1-3 Hoffenheim

Aue person made a beardown commencement to their league season, but they stay important underdogs owed to their fourth-tier status.

Anything different than triumph for Hoffenheim would beryllium seen arsenic an embarrassment, and they volition beryllium expecting to advancement connected Saturday, contempt their caller tally of disappointing affable results.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.