Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Hoffenheim vs. Eintracht Frankfurt - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 4 May 2023, 09:47
Fresh from booking their place in the final of the DFB-Pokal, Eintracht Frankfurt will endeavour to fix their poor Bundesliga form when they face Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Frankfurt have slipped to ninth in the Bundesliga table due to a nine-game winless run, while Hoffenheim find themselves 14th - one point clear of the bottom three - following back-to-back defeats.

Match preview

It is no secret that Hoffenheim endured a monumental mid-season slump, posting a 15-game winless streak between October and March, with eight successive defeats coming at the end of that sequence.

Understandably, the club parted ways with manager Andre Breitenreiter in the midst of the winless run, replacing him with Pellegrino Matarazzo, who eventually stopped the rot with a handful of positive results.

After notching three straight victories over Hertha Berlin, Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, Matarazzo's men extended their unbeaten streak to four matches with an impressive 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich, but Die Kraichgauer swiftly slipped back into old habits.

Following a 3-1 loss to FC Koln, Hoffenheim suffered a 1-0 defeat at RB Leipzig last time out, managing a solitary shot on target at the Red Bull arena while reigniting relegation fears in Sinsheim.

Sitting just one point clear of the relegation playoff spot and two points clear of the automatic drop zone, Hoffenheim will need to turn the tide quickly if they want to secure their top-flight status for another season.

Following a run of nine league games without a win, Eintracht Frankfurt gave their fans something to cheer about as they dispatched Stuttgart on Wednesday to set up a DFB-Pokal final showdown with RB Leipzig.

The Eagles found themselves 1-0 down at half time but swiftly turned the tie around after the break, with goals from Evan Ndicka, Daichi Kamada and Randal Kolo Muani completing a 3-2 victory at Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Naturally, Oliver Glasner will be hoping that his players can carry their cup form onto the Bundesliga stage as the season nears its end, with last weekend's 1-1 draw against Augsburg taking Frankfurt's winless run in the league to nine matches.

It is also worth noting that Frankfurt have managed to win just two of their last 14 Bundesliga encounters, taking five points from a possible 27 since defeating Werder Bremen back in February.

Worse still, the Eagles have failed to win any of their last nine away league outings, with five defeats coming in their previous six matches on the road, while they have also conceded at least two goals in each of their past six away league games.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

W

W

W

D

L

L

Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga form:

L

D

L

D

L

D

Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):

W

L

D

L

D

W

Team News

Hoffenheim will be without the injured trio of Jacob Bruun Larsen (groin), Justin Che (knee) and Kevin Vogt (knee) for Saturday's showdown.

There are also question marks over the fitness of Pavel Kaderabek (thigh) and Angelo Stiller (knee), with the latter missing last weekend's defeat at RB Leipzig.

Oliver Baumann will continue between the sticks behind centre-backs Kevin Akpoguma, John Brooks and Ozan Kabak, while Mu'nas Dabbur and Ihlas Bebou are expected to start in attack.

As for the visitors, Kristijan Jakic (calf), Philipp Max (muscle) and Hrvoje Smolcic (knee) look set to remain sidelined through injury for the foreseeable future.

Having chalked up 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this term, Randal Kolo Muani will continue to lead the line for Frankfurt, with Mario Gotze and Daichi Kamada offering attacking support.

Elsewhere, Djibril Sow and Sebastian Rode are expected to anchor the midfield, while goalkeeper Kevin Trapp should retain his place in the starting XI.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Kabak, Brooks, Akpoguma; Kaderabek, Kramaric, Geiger, Baumgartner, Tasende; Bebou, Dabour

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:

Trapp; Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka; Dina Ebimbe, Rode, Sow, Lenz; Kamada, Gotze; Kolo Muani

We say: Hoffenheim 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt

Previews by email

Top News

22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder Rodri has seemingly opened the door to a future move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Premier League clubs are not renowned for their patience when firing managers, and we've already had our first sacking of 2024/25. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Returning to the Roma hotseat for a third spell in charge, Claudio Ranieri will lead the Giallorossi into Sunday's Serie A showdown with Napoli. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has conceded that Ben White is likely to be out for months rather than weeks after undergoing an operation on his knee. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal expert Charles Watts believes that Gunners new boy Mikel Merino has been "unfairly judged" on some of his performances so far in the 2024-25 campaign. 22 November 2024 talksport.com What would you do if you first big break in football came with your fierce rivals? 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of the most unlikely matchups we could have anticipated heading into the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs will transpire on Sunday as Orlando City face Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference semi-finals at Inter & Co Stadium. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Lionel Messi's former Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano is set to be the new head coach of Inter Miami, according to reports. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to kick-start their Premier League campaigns after stalling before the international break, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace convene at Villa Park on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sean Dyche will look to extend his 100% record over Thomas Frank as Everton manager, when Brentford visit Goodison Park in the Premier League on Saturday. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fourth meets fifth in Saturday's fascinating Premier League battle at the Emirates, as Arsenal welcome Nottingham Forest to the English capital. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a fifth win from six Premier League home games against Brighton & Hove Albion, Bournemouth host the Seagulls in Saturday's top-flight affair at the Vitality Stadium. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City supporters were hoping that November's international break would provide some of the club's senior stars with an opportunity to step up their recovery from injury. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nice, aiming to maintain their current eight-game unbeaten streak in the league, are set to host Strasbourg at the STADIUM on Sunday night for matchday 12 of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Chelsea expect to have Cole Palmer fit for this weekend's Premier League encounter against Leicester City. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Pep Guardiola reminded doubters of his commitment to the club by referencing his relegation claim of six months ago. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed defender Ben White will be sidelined for months after undergoing knee surgery. 22 November 2024 talksport.com The Premier League have announced that their partnership with IMG will end after 20 years for a new media operation. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided a fresh update on the fitness of his squad ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City midfielder James McAtee has reportedly been the subject of an "audacious" bid from Leeds United. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams enjoying some superb form will meet at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, as Lazio and Bologna both aim to extend winning streaks in Serie A. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Erling Haaland sent out a warning shot to the Premier League as Manchester City aim to end their four match losing streak. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Enzo Maresca's King Power Stadium reunion takes place on Saturday lunchtime, as Leicester City and Chelsea prepare for battle in the Premier League's first game back after the international break. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final standings in the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League groups have now been confirmed, and attention will now begin to switch to the knockout stage and playoff formats of the competition. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have suffered a defeat in their long-running legal battle with the Premier League, who have seen proposed changes to Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules approved by a majority of teams. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides battling against relegation from Ligue 1 are set to come together on Sunday afternoon when Nantes host Le Havre at Stade de la Beaujoire. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leganes head coach Borja Jimenez will have to make two changes to his starting XI for Sunday's La Liga clash with Real Madrid. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Raul Asencio is in line to make his full debut for Real Madrid in Sunday's La Liga clash with Leganes. 22 November 2024 talksport.com Michail Antonio's professional career has had plenty of unexpected twists and turns. 22 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea star Cole Palmer will be bidding to add to an incredible Premier League record when he lines up against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.