Midtjylland vs Hoffenheim prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-09-24 19:00.
[p]Having been crowned Danish Superliga champions last term, Midtjylland entered the qualifying stages of the UEFA Champions League (UCL). Eventually being knocked out in the play-off round by Slovan Bratislava, Thomas Thomasberg’s side have dropped into the league phase of the UEFA Europa League (UEL), a competition in which they have lost just one of their last nine home games excluding qualifiers (W4, D4).[/p]
[p]Despite the success that record might indicate, the Wolves haven’t made it into the UEL knockout stages since 2015/16. They’re well placed to change that, beginning their latest campaign after losing just one of their last 16 competitive matches so far this term (W10, D5), with that sole defeat coming in the UCL play-off round in Bratislava, with 12 of those 16 games, including the most recent six, have seen the Danes score 2+ goals.[/p]
[p]Hoffenheim are the visitors on Wednesday night, qualifying for the UEL league phase with a seventh-place finish in the Bundesliga last season. This is the German club’s third UEL campaign, and despite never having progressed further than the Round of 32, they recorded goals in 11 of the 12 group stage games they’ve been involved in to date (W6, D3, L3), so they do have some pedigree in this competition. [/p]
[p]Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side are therefore seemingly surefire to score having netted at least once in each of their last 13 competitive games across two seasons. Results haven’t quite gone their way this season though, with just one victory within 90 minutes across all competitions (D1, L3) including three straight Bundesliga losses. Die Kraichgauer are also yet to record a clean sheet in 2024/25, so there could be action at both ends.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Franculino Djú has 11 goal involvements (G7, A4) in 16 appearances for Midtjylland across all competitions so far this season, scoring in each of the three UCL qualifying rounds they were involved in, whilst opposite number Andrej Kramarić has scored seven goals in his last eight games for the club in major European competitions.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: German sides are unbeaten in each of their last ten UEFA games against Danish opposition (W6, D4), dating back to September 2006.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]