Hoffenheim can take a significant step towards Bundesliga survival when they travel to Volkswagen Arena on Friday to play Wolfsburg.
The Wolves are 12th with 39 points and cannot be relegated or qualify for Europe in the final two matchweeks of the season, whereas Hoffenheim are fourth last in 15th place with 31 points following their 4-4 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on May 3 and need two points to guarantee safety.
Match preview
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Wolfsburg’s 4-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund last Saturday ended their hopes of Europe given they are now 11 points behind sixth-placed RB Leipzig.
Boss Ralph Hasenhuttl will be alarmed by his side’s defensive frailty, with his team conceding 10 times in their past four games while failing to keep a clean sheet in 12 matches.
The hosts have faced Hoffenheim twice this season and emerged victorious on both occasions, winning 3-0 in the DFB-Pokal on December 4 and 1-0 in the league on January 11.
Hasenhuttl will hope that his side can correct their worrying form given they are winless in eight games and lost six outings in that time while not scoring in five of those fixtures.
Wolfsburg come into Friday’s clash having lost three consecutive home matches, and they also settled for draws in their prior three at Volkswagen Arena.
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As for Hoffenheim, they trailed 2-0 and 3-2 during their game against Borussia Monchengladbach, though they will be disappointed to not have taken all three points considering they took a 4-3 lead in the 81st minute only to concede a 91st-minute equaliser.
Head coach Christian Ilzer‘s team have netted at least two goals in their last four outings, and their tally of 10 goals in that time is more than they scored in their previous nine (nine).
Hoffenheim have only triumphed in one of their eight most recent matches – losing four and drawing three – and are winless in three games.
The visitors’ form away from home has been poor in the past weeks given they have been defeated in three of their last four on the road, drawing the other.
Team News
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Wolfsburg will be without midfielder Maximilian Arnold as a result of suspension and he will be absent alongside Mattias Svanberg, though Lovro Majer, Aster Vranckx and Yannick Gerhardt are available.
In defence, Kevin Paredes, Rogerio and Sebastiaan Bornauw are injured, making Mads Roerslev, David Odogu, Konstantinos Kouliarakis and Joakim Maehle candidates to play in a back four.
Jonas Wind has frequently been used up front, and he may be supported in attack by Jakub Kaminski and Mohamed El Amine Amoura.
Opponents Hoffenheim are dealing with numerous injury problems, with defenders Christopher Lenz, Ozan Kabak and Valentin Gendrey set to miss out, so perhaps Arthur Chaves, Leo Ostigard, Stanley N’Ssoki will be stationed in a back three.
Anton Stach and Tom Bischof will almost certainly start in midfield given Diadie Samassekou and Grischa Promel have been ruled out.
Striker Ihlas Bebou‘s injury is likely to keep him from the pitch until the middle of the month, and his muscle issue may lead to the selection of Marius Bulter, Andrej Kramaric and Adam Hlozek in the frontline.
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Roerslev, Odogu, Kouliarakis, Maehle; Majer, Vranckx, Gerhardt; Kaminski, Wind, Amoura
Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Chaves, Ostigard, N’Ssoki; Kaderabek, Stach, Bischof, Toure; Bulter, Kramaric; Hlozek
We say: Wolfsburg 1-2 Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim will likely only need a point but they should be confident of taking advantage of a poor Wolfsburg side on Friday.
While the visitors’ form has not been particularly strong of late, they have found goals easier to come by, and they are could score more than once.
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