Champions League football is suddenly back on the table for Borussia Dortmund, which makes this tricky trip to Hoffenheim significantly more important.
Hoffenheim's horror season hit a new low when they lost 3-2 at Freiburg last weekend. The last time Hoffenheim were this low in the table at this stage of the season was almost a decade ago. But with four rounds to go and an 8-point gap to the drop zone, the Kraichgauers could have another season in the elite secured as early as Sunday.
Unfortunately for them, they have been tasked with facing a Borussia Dortmund side that's improved immensely under Niko Kovac in the last couple of months. BVB are now one win away from the European spots and four points behind the Top 4. Their last league defeat was over a month ago at RB Leipzig and since then, they beat Freiburg, Monchengladbach, and Mainz, and stole a point from Bayern Munich.
How the bookies view it: BVB to grab a rare away win
Bookmakers believe in Dortmund's chances, giving them 3/4 to win on Saturday. Due to BVB's bad away form this season, the odds present considerable value. Alternatively, you can opt for Hoffenheim at 3/1 or the draw at 33/10.
Recent head to head: The Kraichgauers might be onto something
We doubt the Kraichgauers are looking forward to this fixture, in particular, given their horrible record against Borussia Dortmund. Hoffenheim picked up a single win in the last 10 H2Hs, while giving the three points a total of seven times. Yet again, Dortmund couldn't beat them the last two times, so Hoffenheim could go undefeated in three H2Hs in a row for the first time since 2020.
Players to watch: Guirassy wants Champions League football
Serhou Guirassy had a finger in seven of Dortmund's last 12 goals in all competitions, having scored five and assisted two. He is the main reason the team has been pushing up lately and will certainly be looking to extend his tally even more against the struggling hosts. A player of his calibre needs to be playing in the Champions League, and he will do everything in his power to make it happen again.
Probable line-ups
Hoffenheim: Baumann, Nsoki, Chaves, Ostigard, Prass, Stach, Geiger, Kaderabek, Kramaric, Tabakovic, Toure
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Bensebaini, Anton, Sule, Ryerson, Nmecha, Can, Svensson, Chukwuemeka, Adeyemi, Guirassy
Anything else catch the eye?
While Borussia Dortmund's defence remains their weak point, their efficiency in the final third has improved a lot. BVB scored 3+ goals in three of their last five fixtures across all competitions, including three to Barcelona and two to Bayern Munich. With Champions League football being just two wins away, Niko Kovac will push his squad to their limit.
We have to back the visitors in this fixture, although BVB have not achieved much on the road this season. But given that Hoffenheim have the third-worst defence overall and second-worst at home in the league, we expect a solid performance from Dortmund. But it will not be a straightforward win, and Hoffenheim are more than capable of scoring too.
This German Bundesliga match between Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund will be played on and kick off at 14:30. Check below for our tipsters best Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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