Is Hoffenheim back on track?
RB Leipzig are playing a very good Rückrunde so far and naturally want to qualify for the Champions League via the league. A win against TSG Hoffenheim, one of the chasing teams, would be just the right thing to do.
How fitting for the hosts that Hoffenheim are going through a bit of a slump right now. Ahead of the RB Leipzig vs Hoffenheim game, the odds show that this has not gone unnoticed by the bookmakers, who see the hosts as relatively clear favourites.
However, this game also has to be played first. RB had to cope with a heavy workload in the European Cup during the week. Kick-off for this clash is on Sunday evening at 19:30.
RB Leipzig – Statistics & current form
It was a very tricky game for RB Leipzig during the week when Atalanta were guests at the Red Bull Arena. A 1-1 draw means that everything is still open for the second leg, no more and no less. The strains of the game are likely to be visible against Hoffenheim as well, Domenico Tedesco will have to rotate. Fortunately, the squad is one of the best in the league when it comes to width.
And so Leipzig will now be looking to record an important win and secure one of the top four places ever more securely. The form curve is pointing upwards, since Domenico Tedesco took over, the Saxons have picked up 2.1 points per game in the Bundesliga. With 26 points, RB Leipzig is even the best team of the second half of the season, which is why the role of favourites in the home match against TSG Hoffenheim should not really surprise anyone.
Under Tedesco, Leipzig is scoring more goals, but is also more compact, defends well and attentively and has conceded only five goals in the last seven Bundesliga games. This value is absolutely strong and shows where the journey is heading in the long term. In the same period, Leipzig also scored six goals twice, four goals once and three goals of their own.
RB Leipzig: Much speaks for the next victory
Furthermore, RB Leipzig did not lose any of these seven games in the Bundesliga. This equally means that the Tedesco eleven holds the longest unbeaten streak in the league. All this suggests that the development is extremely positive. And RB Leipzig score more points at home than away anyway, with nine of their 14 wins this season coming at the Red Bull Arena.
A win would also be worth its weight in gold in the standings. Freiburg have three and Hoffenheim four points less on their account than Leipzig. These two teams are the only real pursuers and if one of them can be distanced, that would be ideal. A real “six-point game” is on the agenda and the hosts have already picked up seven points in the duels against Dortmund, Frankfurt and Freiburg, so the signs are good.
The next home win is the target. Due to the good form of the Saxons and the enormous breadth in the squad, which will help a lot, our prediction ahead of the game RB Leipzig vs Hoffenheim is that the three points will stay in Leipzig.
Predicted line-up of RB Leipzig:
Gulacsi – Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol – Mukiele, Laimer, Kampl, Henrichs – Nkunku, Forsberg – Andre Silva
Last matches played by RB Leipzig:
Europa League Final Stage
04/07 2022 – RB Leipzig 1 – 1 Atalanta Bergamo
Bundesliga
04/02 2022 – Borussia Dortmund 1 – 4 RB Leipzig
03/20 2022 – RB Leipzig 0 – 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
03/13 2022 – Greuther Fürth 1 – 6 RB Leipzig
03/05 2022 – RB Leipzig 1 – 1 SC Freiburg
Hoffenheim – Statistics & current form
While everything is going according to plan in Leipzig, the same cannot currently be said for TSG Hoffenheim. The season is still a very successful one and qualification for Europe is possible, but the dream of the Champions League will probably only stay alive if the three points could be taken in Leipzig.
The trend, however, is against Hoffenheim. After a fantastic series with four games in a row, all of which were won, Hoffenheim recently lost twice, picking up only one point from the last three games. The fact that especially in this phase and in this important match David Raum, the second best scorer, is missing due to suspension fits into the current picture. Hoffenheim sometimes plays too complicated, and in Berlin they let themselves be robbed of their bread and butter with simple means.
Most recently, the defence, which had actually been quite stable throughout the season, has been shaky. Five goals conceded in the last two games are just as many as in the six games before. Especially against a strong team like Leipzig, compactness has to be the top priority again.
Hoffenheim offer too much away
Combined with the fact that the visitors conceded ten more goals away from home than at home, with 26, coach Sebastian Hoeneß actually has to react. A more destructive approach could help to keep order against Leipzig. The eighth away defeat of the season should be avoided. Here, however, there are more suspensions that pose a problem.
Akpoguma and Vogt are also missing in the defence due to suspension, plus Bicakcic is injured and Hübner is not yet at 100%. Hoeneß will therefore have to improvise and send an “emergency defence” onto the pitch. Due to this situation, our value tip before the match between RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim is that the hosts will win the match from the start and will already be in the lead at half-time.
Predicted line-up of Hoffenheim:
Baumann – Richards, Posch, Nordtveit – Kaderabek, Samassekou, Stiller, Bruun Larsen – Baumgartner, Kramaric – Bebou
Last matches played by Hoffenheim:
Bundesliga
04/02 2022 – Hoffenheim 1 – 2 VfL Bochum
03/19 2022 – Hertha BSC 3 – 0 Hoffenheim
03/12 2022 – Hoffenheim 1 – 1 Bayern Munich
03/06 2022 – 1. FC Köln 0 – 1 Hoffenheim
02/25 2022 – Hoffenheim 2 – 1 VfB Stuttgart
RB Leipzig – Hoffenheim Direct comparison / H2H balance
Six of the twelve direct duels went to RB Leipzig, only three to Hoffenheim. The other three encounters ended in draws, with the first leg going to Leipzig 2-0 thanks to a brace from Dani Olmo
RB Leipzig – Hoffenheim tip
It could be a landmark game for both teams. If Leipzig win, Hoffenheim will be distanced and a place in the top four is very likely. However, if the TSG, who are short-staffed, prevail in Leipzig, it could release energy for the final spurt.
Due to the omens, however, there is a lot to be said for a success for the Saxons. Therefore, before the match between RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim, our tip is that the hosts will win the match.
