This could be one of the most exciting matches in the Bundesliga this weekend with places in the Champions League and Europa Conference League at stake.
The game between Hoffenheim and Stuttgart will be played at the PreZero Arena on the 16th of March. The hosts are currently 7th in the table on 33 points while the visitors are in 3rd place on 53 points.
Hoffenheim come into the match on the back of a 3-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga last weekend.
#MondayMotivation ⚪️🔴💥#VfB pic.twitter.com/h25qGrXmuV— VfB Stuttgart_int (@VfB_int) March 11, 2024
#MondayMotivation ⚪️🔴💥#VfB pic.twitter.com/h25qGrXmuV
It was Hoffenheim who opened the scoring in the 6th minute but the goal scorer was sent off 16 minutes later.
Eintracht Frankfurt equalised in the 32nd minute. Into the second half and Eintracht Frankfurt took the lead in the 50th minute and secured the points with a third goal 14 minutes later. Hoffenheim had another player sent off in the 78th minute.
The defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt was the first defeat in 3 games for Hoffenheim. They won their previous 2 fixtures with the victories coming over Borussia Dortmund away and Werder Bremen at home.
Stats show Hoffenheim have won only 3 of their last 17 games in all competitions. However, they are unbeaten in 6 of their 7 most recent home games in the Bundesliga.
Both teams have scored in 16 of Hoffenheim’s 17 most recent home league fixtures.
Stuttgart make the trip to the PreZero Arena having beat Union Berlin 2-0 at home in the Bundesliga last weekend.
Stuttgart scored their first goal in the 19th minute and added a second in the 65th minute. Union Berlin were reduced to 10 men 4 minutes later and Stuttgart cruised to victory.
The win over Union Berlin means Stuttgart are undefeated in their 5 most recent fixtures, all of which have been played in the Bundesliga.
There have been wins over Darmstadt and Wolfsburg away plus Mainz at home. Stuttgart were also held to a 1-1 draw at home by Koln.
Trends show Stuttgart are undefeated in each of their last 7 Bundesliga games. They have won each of their last 3 away league matches, scoring 2 or more goals in each of those 3 wins.
There have been over 2.5 goals and both teams have scored in 4 of Stuttgart’s 5 most recent away Bundesliga fixtures.
Looking ahead to the team news and Hoffenheim are without the suspended duo of Ozan Kabak and John Brooks. Anton Stach, Umut Tohumcu, Dennis Geiger, Grischa Prömel, Mërgim Berisha, and Marco John are all injured.
Stuttgart travel without the injured quartet of Anthony Rouault, Samuele di Benedetto, Dan-Axel Zagadou, and Nikolas Nartey. There are doubts over the fitness of Hiroki Ito and Genki Haraguchi.
The two teams form suggests we should see both scoring goals in this match. Hoffenheim have not been easy to beat in recent home league games but winning matches is proving difficult for the hosts. Stuttgart will be feeling confident and could away with the 3 points.