German Bundesliga - Hoffenheim vs. RB Leipzig - Preview & Prediction
Having lost points in five of their past seven outings, 3rd-placed RB Leipzig will be eager to bank a victory against 7th-placed Hoffenheim, who have a top-six finish in their sights. Kick-off - at 14:30 PM ET on Friday, June 12.
Hoffenheim Draw With Dusseldorf
The current point streak of Hoffenheim expanded to four contests (W2 D2) after the team ended a two-game winning run with a 2-2 draw against Fortuna Dusseldorf at Merkur Spiel-Arena on Saturday. Die Kraichgauer played with 10 men for more than 80 minutes of the contest after defender Benjamin Hubner was sent off just four minutes following Dusseldorf’s opener. Still, Hoffenheim managed to take a 2-1 lead through Munas Dabbur and Steven Zuber, only for the hosts to equalize from the penalty spot 15 minutes from time. Die Kraichgauer remain 7th in the league (W12 D7 L11), trailing the 6th-placed Wolfsburg by two points.
Croatian forward Andrej Kramaric leads Hoffenheim with seven markers, but has gone without a goal for three straight appearances. Goalie Oliver Baumann, meanwhile, sits 6th in the Bundesliga with 88 saves. He has picked up five clean sheets in 26 contests this season and allows a goal every 51 minutes of play. The Sinsheim team has scored the 9th the highest quantity of goals so far this term (42), while having taken the 11th the highest number of shots per game (12.6). Hoffenheim are 6th in ball possession (51.5%) and 5th in passing accuracy (81.7%).
Leipzig Get Held By Paderborn
A fourth consecutive home draw was on the cards for RB Leipzig, who extended their unbeaten run to 11 outings (W4 D7) after being forced to settle for a 1-1 tie with rock-bottom Paderborn at Red Bull Arena on Saturday. Things started well for the hosts, who opened the scoring with a snipe from Patrik Schick in the 27th minute of the game before defender Dayot Upamecano received his second yellow card for dissent at the end of the first half, with the visitors getting back into the game in the following frame, eventually tying the proceedings in injury-time. The Red Bulls remain 3rd in the Bundesliga (W16 D11 L3), trailing the 2nd-placed Borussia Dortmund and 1st-placed Bayern Munich by four and 11 points respectively.
Timo Werner tops Leipzig’s scoring chart with 25 strikes, while Roma loanee Schick, who is riding a three-game goal streak, sits 2nd with 10 markers. Peter Gulacsi, meanwhile, is 10th in the Bundesliga’s goalie table with 79 saves. He has collected nine clean sheets in 29 contests this season and gives up a goal every 87 minutes on average. RB Leipzig are 3rd in most goals scored this year (75), 2nd in most shots taken per game (16.4), 4th in ball possession (53.9%) and 4th in passing accuracy (82.4%).
Prediction
The big news for Hoffenheim this week was the unexpected departure of head coach Alfred Schreuder. That, however, shouldn't affect the team’s performance much, as a group of five remaining coaches will manage the side until the end of the season. Besides, Die Kraichgauer have not fared that bad lately either, currently riding a four-game unbeaten run (W2 D2), and will definitely be hoping for a positive result versus RB Leipzig. Hoffenheim have failed to win any of the previous four meetings with the Red Bulls (D1 L3), but can aim for at least a point here. Especially with RB Leipzig’s current form, which has seen the team tie seven of its past 11 Bundesliga fixtures (W4 D7). Hoffenheim themselves have drawn half of their past eight league contests and have seen both teams on the scoreboard in each of those stalemates, with both sides having netted in four of the last five encounters between Die Kraichgauer and the Red Bulls as well.
Best bets:
Draw (+420)
Both teams to score (-190)
Andrej Kramaric go score anytime (+240)
Patrik Schick to score anytime (+130)