Preview: Hoffenheim vs. Bayern Munich - prediction, team news, lineups

Bayern, meanwhile, will be hoping to close the gap on league leaders Union Berlin to only one point.

Match preview

Hoffenheim ended a winless run of three league games with a 3-0 victory away to hapless Schalke 04 last Friday.

Robert Skov converted two penalties either side of half-time, with Andre Breitenreiter's side's victory never looking in doubt once Munas Dabbur had doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.

The Israel forward bagged a brace against the same opponents in the second round of the DFB-Pokal in midweek, with Ozan Kabak scoring against his former club during the 5-1 rout to take them through to the next stage of the competition.

Facing Bayern on Saturday will clearly be a huge step-up in class from back-to-back fixtures against a likely relegation candidate, but it is matches like their upcoming one which may be telling as to whether Die Kraichgauer can compete for a top four place this season.

Bayern, meanwhile, thumped Freiburg 5-0 last Sunday to leapfrog their opponents into second place in the table.

Julian Naglesmann's side's win saw five different goalscorers get themselves on the scoresheet, with Serge Gnabry, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Leroy Sane, Sadio Mane and Marcel Sabitzer all bagging during the surprisingly one-sided fixture.

Bayern were at it again in midweek with a 5-2 win away to Augsburg in the DFB-Pokal, although they had to come from behind after Mads Pedersen's ninth-minute strike had looked like setting up another difficult away day against their Bavarian rivals after suffering defeat at the Augsburg Arena last month.

Since winning their opening three league games, Nagelsmann's side have only won two of their ensuing seven matches in the Bundesliga, so the 35-year-old will be demanding some consistency from his players as they look to chase down Union Berlin at the top of the table.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

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Hoffenheim form (all competitions):

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Bayern Munich Bundesliga form:

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Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

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Team News

Hoffenheim will be without Kevin Vogt for the challenge against Bayern on Saturday, after the central defender picked up his fifth booking of the season against Schalke and incurred a one-match suspension as a result.

Kevin Akpoguma could replace Vogt with Kabak moving into the central role in Breitenreiter's back three, although Sebastian Rudy could be called upon against his former club in a position which he has played in the past.

Andrej Kramric, Ermin Bicakcic, Benjamin Hubner and Ihlas Bebou all remain sidelined through injury, with the quartet facing a race against time to feature again before next month's World Cup.

Bayern, meanwhile, will travel without Sane after the in-form Germany winger tore a muscle during the rout against Freiburg last weekend.

Having bagged three goals in two starts in the past week, Choupo-Moting is likely to be rewarded with another spot in Nagelsmann's starting XI, although Kingsley Coman is available again having missed the last league match through suspension.

Manuel Neuer has missed Bayern's last three matches with a shoulder issue but he should be fit enough to return between the posts, but Bouna Sarr and Lucas Hernandez remain on the treatment table.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Akpoguma, Kabak, Nsoki; Skov, Promel, Geiger, Angelino; Baumgartner; Rutter, Dabbur

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Pavard, Upamecano, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Gnabry, Musiala, Mane; Choupo-Moting

We say: Hoffenheim 1-3 Bayern Munich

Hoffenheim have the quality and momentum to provide Bayern with a stern test on Saturday, but we expect the visitors to be too strong in the end.

Nagelsmann's side look to have shaken off their poor run of results during September, and they will be highly focused on overturning their deficit at the top of the table ahead of next month's World Cup.

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