Two domestic strugglers clash in the Europa League on Thursday evening as Tottenham Hotspur travel to Hoffenheim on Matchday 7 of the league stage.
Both teams have been hit hard by injuries this season and currently sit 15th in their respective league tables. After parting ways with Pellegrino Matarazzo in November, Hoffenheim’s form has only taken a turn for the worse and they are well in the relegation battle.
They achieved their fourth victory of the Bundesliga season on the weekend, though. as they beat one of the few teams that have fared worse than them this season, Holstein Kiel, 3-1. Perhaps that will fire up Thursday’s hosts, who have work to do to secure a play-off spot in this competition.
Tottenham are four points and 18 places ahead of Hoffenheim in the league table, with Ange Postecoglou’s side likely to go into the final matchday with a top eight place in their grasp if he claimed a rare win on Thursday.
Spurs have won just three of their previous 15 games in all competitions and one other Premier League The weekend’s defeat means they are just eight points clear of the relegation zone.
here it is 90 minutes Thursday guide Europa League shock
Record of confrontations between Hoffenheim and Tottenham
This is the first competitive match between Hoffenheim and Tottenham.
Current form (all competitions)
|
Hoffenheim |
Tottenham |
|---|---|
|
Holstein Kiel 1-3 Hoffenheim – 18/01/25 |
Everton 3-2 Tottenham – 19/01/25 |
|
Bayern Munich 5-0 Hoffenheim – 15/01/25 |
Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham – 15/01/25 |
|
Hoffenheim – Wolfsburg 0-1 – 01/11/25 |
Tamworth 0-3 (AET) Tottenham – 12/01/25 |
|
Hoffenheim 1-2 Borussia Monchengladbach – 21/12/24 |
Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool – 25/01/08 |
|
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Hoffenheim – 15/12/24 |
Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle – 25/01/04 |
|
country |
TV channel/live broadcast |
|---|---|
|
united kingdom |
Discovery+, discovery+ app, TNT Sports 2 |
|
united states |
Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN.com, TUDN App, TUDN USA |
|
canada |
DAZN Canada |
Like their visitors, Hoffenheim have been hit hard by injuries this season.
Experienced midfielder Florian Grillitsch is among the absentees, with the hosts also without Grischa Promel, Ihlas Bebou and Marius Bulter. ancient Liverpool Defender Ozan Kabak is nursing a long-term knee injury but is expected to return next month.
Tom Bischof is the only one to watch in midfield who has accepted recently join in Bayern Munich with a Bosman in the summer. Andrej Kramaraic and Adam Hlozek are Hoffenheim’s main attacking threats.
Hoffenheim predicted line-up against Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Baumann; Gendrey, Chaves, Akpoguma, Prass; Bischof, Stach; Kaderabek, Kramaric, Hlozek; Moerstedt.
Cristian Romero was involved in training ahead of Thursday’s game, but the Argentine will not play at Hoffenheim after spending weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury. Micky van de Ven will return to training camp next week.
Radu Dragusin should be fit and Rodrigo Bentancur has traveled with the team. The Uruguayan will start at the base of midfield with Yves Bissouma, the latest to suffer a hamstring injury. Pape Sarr also looks set to miss out.
January arrival Antonin Kinsky cannot be registered until after the league stage, while Djed Spence was also not included in Postecoglou’s starting squad for the competition.
Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner are absent.
Tottenham predicted lineup against Hoffenheim (4-3-3): Austin; Leek, Dragusin, Gray, Davies; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Moore.
Despite being beaten again at Everton on Sunday, this battered Tottenham the team has not given up on the coach yet. They are keen to put things right and face a team that has suffered similar problems this term.
Hoffenheim are also plagued by injuries but may have a spring in their step after Saturday’s triumph. They have attacking profiles capable of hurting Tottenham, and Ilzer’s side should aim to take advantage of a Spurs side that simply doesn’t win away from home.
There should be goals on Thursday evening, and the spoils can be shared when all is said and done.
