Getting eliminated from the DBF Pokal was not what new manager Zsolt Low hoped for in his debut at RB Leipzig but it's what he got. All that's left for the team is to fight for the Top 4, but even this goal feels like a mountain to climb.
RB Leipzig could have a season without European football, unless they retain their current position (6th) or climb higher. The Top 4 is three points away but the team won only two of its last 10 Bundesliga games, which led to the sacking of Marco Rose.
Hoffenheim also are in the trenches but much deeper. For a while, the team was in real danger of getting relegated and remains in 14th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
Having a single defeat in the last five games helped them climb away from danger but a couple of defeats and they will have problems again.
Both sides have had identical struggles lately. Both teams need to be far more clinical in the final third as they barely score goals. Each side scored four goals in its last five games, which is not enough to achieve anything in the Bundesliga.
How the bookies view it: RB Leipzig to get back in the winning column
Bookmakers believe that Zsolt Low will not start his tenure with back-to-back defeats. RB Leipzig have been given a massive advantage at 1/2, while Hoffenheim are available at 5/1. The draw is also a possibility and you can back it at 33/10.
Recent head to head: The teams played one of the best games of the season
RB Leipzig have dominated this rivalry for the most part since its start in 2016, when the Red Bulls joined the Bundesliga for the first time. RB have 10 wins and the Kraichgauers have four, while four other fixtures ended level. Until recently, the Red Bulls had five wins in a row in this fixture. Yet, Hoffenheim won this season's reverse clash, turning around a 1-2 deficit to a 4-3 win.
Players to watch: Sesko needs to step up
Benjamin Sesko scored RB's consolation goal against Stuttgart, ending his 6-match goal drought. The young Slovenian hasn't scored in the Bundesliga since mid-February and needs to regain his confidence. This goal might be what he needed and Hoffenheim might be the perfect target for more. The 21-year-old is RB's top scorer this season with 10 goals in 26 games, which unfortunately also shows how ineffective the team has been in attack.
Probable line-ups
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi, Voufack, Bitshiabu, Orban, Raum, Haidara, Vermeeren, Baku, Simons, Openda, Sesko
Hoffenheim: Baumann, Prass, Chaves, Ostigard, Kaderabek, Becker, Stach, Bischof, Kramaric, Moerstedt, Orban
Anything else catch the eye?
On paper, Hoffenheim should not be in any position to challenge RB Leipzig on home turf but the Red Bulls haven't exactly been great lately either. After two wins in 10 rounds, this fixture could be much tigher than the odds suggest. We wouldn't risk our money with RB as the 1/2 odds are far from worth it.
But we definitely see value in the goal markets, as RB's defense hasn't been ideal in recent weeks. Neither side can afford defeat and the 4-3 from November hints at a potential action-packed rematch.
This German Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim will be played on and kick off at 14:30. Check below for our tipsters best RB Leipzig vs Hoffenheim prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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