Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-02-10 14:30.
Sitting just three points above the relegation zone coming into the weekend, Hoffenheim are in desperate need of points which would help steer them towards mid-table. A nine-game winless league run (D2, L7) is behind their perilous position and ultimately cost manager André Breitenreiter his job, with Hoffenheim wielding the axe on their boss after a humbling 5-2 defeat against Bochum last time out.
Former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhüttl was amongst the early names linked with the vacant post, but with no news of who will be in charge against Leverkusen, Hoffenheim’s preparation is far from ideal. It’s hard to find many positives for managerless Hoffenheim at the moment, but with three wins from the last six home H2Hs against Bayer Leverkusen (D1, L2), perhaps there is room for cautious optimism.
Leverkusen’s charge towards the European places has stuttered of late, with consecutive league defeats ‘to nil’ bringing an end to their five-match winning Bundesliga run. With the resumption of the UEFA Europa League on the horizon in the aftermath of this clash, Leverkusen would be forgiven for having half an eye on their upcoming trip to Monaco, though they should be buoyed by the fact a victory here could take them into the top half and as high as eighth.
It remains to be seen how Leverkusen bounce back as they seek to climb the table, with this their first run of back-to-back Bundesliga defeats under boss Xabi Alonso. Another loss here would mark three successive league defeats for the first time since August 2022, but for the last time they lost three in a row without scoring, you’d have to go way back to September 2015, a run which culminated in a 3-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund.
Players to watch: After netting his 25th career Bundesliga goal against Bochum last time out, Hoffenheim’s Christoph Baumgartner will hope to add to that tally against a Leverkusen side he has scored against in his last two personal H2Hs. A dab hand in working his way into the referee’s notebook, Piero Hincapié has been booked in seven of his last 13 Leverkusen appearances.
Hot stat: Hoffenheim are the Bundesliga’s worst-performing home side during the first half (HT: W1, D6, L3).