Hoffenheim vs Heidenheim prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2024-01-26 14:30.
Pressure is mounting on Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, who has warned his players they need to quickly up their game if they are to end a four-year wait for European football. The head coach was less than impressed as his side lost 3-2 to Freiburg last weekend, and after a dreadful run of just one win from their last nine Bundesliga outings (D3, L5), it’s easy to see why.
That result left Hoffenheim four points adrift of the top six ahead of his round, a far cry from the position they found themselves in mid-September, when four wins from their opening five games (L1) had them in touch with top spot. A leaky defence has largely been behind their downfall, with no clean sheet in their last 14 league and cup outings – a run that’s contributed to the fact that only two teams in the division have conceded more than their 36 goals.
Ending their poor form won’t be easy against a Heidenheim side who have netted in 11 of their last 12 fixtures and make the trip to Hoffenheim on the back of a five-game unbeaten run (W3, D2). It has been a remarkable debut season in the Bundesliga for Frank Schmidt’s side, who will leapfrog their opponents and climb to eighth in the table should they pick up three points at the PreZero Arena.
Their home form has largely been behind their success this campaign, as they’ve found life on the road tough, already losing six times in just nine away games (W1, D2). Even their sole away success – and clean sheet – came against relegation-threatened Mainz, which was also the only time they have been ahead in a league game on their travels this term.
Players to watch: Hoffenheim will be hoping Maximilian Beier is on the scoresheet, as he has won 12 of the last 16 games in which he has netted (D1, L3), including the victory over Heidenheim earlier in the season. Attempting to out-gun him may be Eren Dinkçi, who has scored six of his last eight goals after half-time.
Hot stat: Hoffenheim are the only Bundesliga team to have had 2+ goals in each of their league games this season.