Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to enactment points connected the committee during their archetypal location crippled of the Bundesliga season, Hoffenheim volition big giants Borussia Dortmund astatine SNP Arena connected Saturday.

Die Kraichgauer are hoping to bounce backmost from their decision past clip out, portion BVB are aiming to proceed their cleanable commencement to the campaign.

Match preview

Christian Ilzer's Hoffenheim secured qualification for the Europa League by finishing 5th successful the Bundesliga past term, but portion the nine volition beryllium keen to repetition the instrumentality successful 2026-27, they person made a frustrating start.

Die Kraichgauer headed into their top-flight opener afloat of assurance aft thrashing Aue 4-0 successful the DFB-Pokal's archetypal round, but they were stunned arsenic they lost 3-2 to FC Koln connected August 29.

Ilzer's broadside took the pb doubly against the Billy Goats - erstwhile successful each fractional through Adam Daghim and Ozan Kabak - but were incapable to respond to a precocious brace from Thijs Dallinga.

That decision has near Hoffenheim 13th successful the table, and though the standings substance small astatine this stage, the squad volition beryllium wary of the existent three-point spread to the apical 7 increasing immoderate larger.

However, considering that Die Kraichgauer person lone triumphed successful 1 of their past 4 meetings with Saturday's opponents, fans volition beryllium doubting the hosts' chances of triumph this weekend.

Meanwhile, Dortmund finished runners-up to Bayern Munich erstwhile again successful 2025-26, but manager Niko Kovac is hoping to equine a much important rubric situation this clip around.

To that end, BVB person made a coagulated commencement to their campaign, wrapping up a 2-0 triumph implicit Hamburger SV by fractional clip past Saturday, courtesy of goals from Serhou Guirassy and Giannis Konstantelias.

Kovac's broadside backed up that triumph with a 5-0 demolition of HEBC Hamburg successful the DFB-Pokal connected Tuesday, a effect that saw the Black and Yellow support consecutive cleanable sheets for the archetypal clip since February.

Knowing the spot of Bayern's consistency successful a rubric race, Dortmund volition beryllium hopeless to debar falling down their rivals, and having won 2 of their past 3 showdowns with Hoffenheim, Dortmund volition beryllium assured going into the clash.

That being said, Saturday's visitors were downed 2-1 at SNP Arena successful the astir caller gathering betwixt the clubs, conceding 2 penalties from Andrej Kramaric successful mid-April.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

Hoffenheim signifier (all competitions):

Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga form:

Borussia Dortmund signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Hoffenheim person a mostly acceptable squad, though doubts stay astir the fittingness of striker Fisnik Asllani and near winger Alexander Prass, who missed Die Kraichgauer's opener with respective genu and musculus injuries.

If neither are available, past Tim Lemperle volition pb the hosts' attack, supported up apical by Patrick Wimmer and Bambase Conte.

As for Dortmund, they are missing a slew of defenders, including Emre Can, who is moving his mode backmost from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and Nico Schlotterbeck, who is "One oregon 2 weeks" distant from to returning to training, according to manager Kovac.

Versatile centre-back Ramy Bensebaini is besides taxable to a precocious fittingness trial aft helium trained pursuing a rib injury, though Daniel Svensson, Waldemar Anton and Joane Gadou should beryllium connected manus to signifier BVB's antiaircraft trio.

Elsewhere, attacking midfielder Giannis Konstantelias was unfortunate capable to endure a torn ACL aft scoring connected his Bundesliga debut, portion Justin Lerma is sidelined owed to a musculus injury, and 18-year-old Samuele Inacio is suspended pursuing his reddish paper against Hamburger.

In their absence, Jobe Bellingham and Felix Nmecha look acceptable to commencement successful the centre of the park, with Konstantinos Karetsas and Marcel Sabitzer operating conscionable down striker Serhou Guirassy.

Hoffenheim imaginable starting lineup:

Baumann; Coufal, Hajdari, Kabak, Bernardo; Avdullahu, Burger; Wimmer, Conte, Daghim; Lemperle

Borussia Dortmund imaginable starting lineup:

Kobel; Svensson, Gadou, Anton; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Beier; Karetsas, Sabitzer; Guirassy

We say: Hoffenheim 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Hoffenheim are apt to find their mode onto the scoresheet this weekend, but they could locomotion distant bare handed if they are defensively frail erstwhile again.

Dortmund volition beryllium assured of occurrence connected Saturday, though fans should expect a close-fought contention careless of the effect considering BVB's wounded list.

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