St. Pauli vs Hoffenheim Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Two out of form sides collide with neither St. Pauli or Hoffenheim having tasted victory in each of the last three rounds of Bundesliga fixtures.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Amazon Prime Video / US – ESPN
How to watch online: UK – Amazon Prime Video / US – ESPN+
St. Pauli preview: International reset required
You could argue that the international break came at a perfect time for St. Pauli, who have lost their last three games in the Bundesliga. None of those losses have been comprehensive and two took place away from home, but there is still cause for concern and a two-week break to work on things in training was probably well received by head coach Alexander Blessin.
St. Pauli are always likely to be ultra-competitive at home and they’ll be expected to force the issue against Hoffenheim, despite the two teams being fairly well-matched on paper. They’ll need to tighten up at the back though, or trouble could be on the horizon.
Hoffenheim preview: Road comforts
When taking into account the struggles that Hoffenheim have faced recently playing in Sinsheim, being away for this game may well prove to be beneficial for them. Whilst they have lost their last two home Bundesliga fixtures against Bayern Munich and FC Cologne respectively, Hoffenheim have picked up four points from their last two league matches on the road.
The most recent of those away games saw them record a very hard-fought and more than respectable 1-1 draw against Freiburg. Prior to that, they defeated Union Berlin by four goals to two, one of the two league wins that Hoffenheim have managed so far this season.
St. Pauli team news: Multiple doubts among visiting squad
St. Pauli face making late calls over the likes of Jackson Irvine, Fin Stevens and Hauke Wahl. Irvine is struggling with a muscle problem, whilst both Stevens and Wahl are battling illness. Both Ricky-Jade Jones and David Nemeth are out.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Vasilj; Dzwigała, Smith, Ritzka; Pyrka, Sands, Fujita, Oppie; Sinani; Kaars, Pereira Lage
Unavailable: Jones (Injured), Nemeth (Injured)
Questionable: Irvine (Injured), Stevens (Illness), Wahl (Illness)
Hoffenheim team news: Kabak could return
Defender Ozan Kabak is potentially in line to make his long-awaited return to action with the German centre-back having been out long-term through injury. However, the likes of Behrens, Gendrey, Hlozek and Machida are all missing.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Baumann; Coufal, Hranac, Hajdari, Bernardo; Kramaric, Avdullahu, Burger; Lemperle, Asllani, Toure
Unavailable: Behrens (Injured), Gendrey (Injured), Hlozek (Injured), Machida (Injured)
Questionable: Kabak (Fitness)
St. Pauli vs Hoffenheim prediction
Both these two teams seem to have forgotten how to win recently and are each searching for that illusive victory which would break a three-match winless run in the Bundesliga. But with both locked together on seven points, the margins for error are slim and the consequences of defeat are high. That could lead to a tense encounter which sees neither risk losing by overloading the opposition in a bid to win.
Hoffenheim are certainly unlikely to display a huge attacking mentality that ends up with them being caught out at the other end of the pitch, whilst it remains to be seen as to whether St. Pauli have the quality to break them down. With that in mind, backing a draw certainly warrants consideration.
St. Pauli vs Hoffenheim tip: Draw
