KAISERSLAUTERN'S bid to return to the Bundesliga at the first attempt sees them travel to top-flight outfit Hoffenheim on Thursday.
The fixture will be the first leg of the Bundesliga's relegation play-off, with Kaiserslautern – who finished third in the second tier this season – facing the third-last Hoffenheim.
With a spot in the German top flight up for grabs the stakes will be high over the two legs and it is Kaiserslautern he who enter the match in better form.
After being relegated last season the 1998 Bundesliga champions have lost just two of their last 11 matches.
One of those defeats came in their last fixture, a 2-1 home loss to St Pauli, but the fixture was pretty meaningless.
In Cameroon forward Mohammadou Idrissou (17 goals) and Switzerland's Albert Bunjaku (13 goals), Franco Foda's side possess the best strike pairing in the second tier and they will be hopeful of overcoming Hoffenheim.
After being promoted in 2007-08, Hoffenheim have not finished below 11th in the top division but have struggled this term and conceded a league-high 67 goals.
They are boosted by last weekend's win at Borussia Dortmund that will give them the belief they can survive the drop.
The two sides meet again on Monday in Kaiserslautern in the deciding fixture and I reckon Hoffenheim will take a one-goal lead into that match.
Recommended Bet
Hoffenheim to win by one @ 13/5
Milesey (Betfair)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
£50 Hoffenheim to win by 1 goal @ 3/1
£10 Hoffenheim to win 2-0 @ 9/1
Chris, got to fancy Hoffemheim, 2-1 would suit me better. Were nearly mu Super Single but Titanbet going 19-20.