Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Borussia Dortmund have been excellent in the UEFA Champions League but underwhelming in the Bundesliga once again as they now prepare to face a struggling Hoffenheim side.

Kick-off date/time: Sunday 15th December, 2024: UK – 4:30pm / US ET – 11:30am / US PT – 8:30am

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – ESPN+

Borussia Dortmund Preview: Dortmund need results

Last season, Borussia Dortmund finished fifth in the Bundesliga but reached the UEFA Champions League final before the departure of Edin Terzic over the summer. Nuri Sahin has continued an underwhelming domestic run of form not aligned with their European form.

The home team come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach at Borussia-Park last weekend in the league. They took the lead in the 65th minute before an equaliser six minutes later. They have won just one of their last four Bundesliga matches.

Hoffenheim Preview: Rebuilding once again

Last season, Hoffenheim performed well and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. They started this season so slowly and poorly that manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was sacked over the November international break and replaced by Sturm Graz boss Christian Ilzer.

The visitors won the first game in charge of Ilzer’s reign with a thrilling come from behind 4-3 defeat of RB Leipzig. Since then, though, they have been knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by Wolfsburg and collected just a point in the Bundesliga from games against Mainz and Freiburg.

Borussia Dortmund Team News: Several concerns

Dortmund have several injury concerns for this weekend’s visit of Hoffenheim, with Nico Schlotterbeck out and Waldemar Anton, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi unlikely to feature along with Maximilian Beier.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Couto, Can, Bensebaini, Ryerson; Nmecha, Gross; Malen, Sabitzer, Bynoe-Gittens; Guirassy

Unavailable: Schlotterbeck (Injured), Sule (Injured)

Questionable: Anton (Injured), Brandt (Injured), Adeyemi (Injured), Beier (Injured)

Hoffenheim Team News: No Kabak or Bulter

Former Liverpool defender Ozan Kabak is sidelined due to a knee injury with key players across the pitch unavailable, too. Grischa Promel remains unavailable for Hoffenheim alongside key attackers such as Marius Bulter and Ihlas Bebou. 

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Baumann; Gendrey, Chaves, Nsoki, Prass; Stach, Samassekou; Bischof, Kramaric, Bruun Larsen; Hlozek

Unavailable: Kabak (Injured), Promel (Injured), Tohumcu (Injured), Bulter (Injured), Bebou (Injured)

Questionable: Grillitsch (Injured)

Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim Prediction

Borussia Dortmund do have injury concerns for this one but they have a deceptively deep squad. The form of England U21 international Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is also something they can rely upon at the moment. Hoffenheim would have hoped and believed things would have turned around since the return of Ilzer but, despite a remarkable start, Dortmund are firm favourites for this one, especially with their home advantage.

Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim Tip: Borussia Dortmund to win