Preview: Augsburg vs Hoffenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

Hoffenheim risk falling behind in the race for the Champions League unless they beat hosts Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Friday at WWK Arena.

Augsburg have likely done enough to secure safety given they are 11th with 32 points, but fifth-placed Hoffenheim find themselves on 50 points, a total that means they trail fourth and third place by three points.

Match preview

The hosts were held to a frustrating 1-1 stalemate by Hamburger on SV on April 4, a clash in which they took an early 1-0 lead but failed to capitalise on the fact their opponents were reduced to 10 men for the final 25 minutes of the match.

With just six matchweeks remaining in the Bundesliga season, the seven-point gap that Augsburg boast over St Pauli in the 16th-placed relegation spot could be enough to guarantee survival.

Boss Manuel Baum will not only be looking for revenge after his side were beaten 3-0 in the reverse fixture by Hoffenheim in November 2025, but he will also be looking to guide his team to their first win against the visitors in five meetings.

Fuggerstadter's draw with Hamburger arrested a streak of three consecutive defeats, though they have still conceded 10 goals in their last four games while only scoring four times.

Augsburg were beaten 5-2 by Stuttgart on March 22 in their most recent contest at WWK Arena, and while that loss was damaging, they had won their prior three at the stadium and were undefeated in eight at the ground.

Hoffenheim's season has taken a turn for the worse, with the club suffering an eighth Bundesliga loss after Mainz triumphed 2-1 against them on April 4.

The visitors were in the top four for much of the season, but they have only taken seven points from the last 24 on offer, winning just two of their past eight league fixtures.

Christian Ilzer's side conceded at least two goals in five of those matches - letting in five in a game on two occasions - and they netted one or fewer goals in four of their past five, blanking twice in that period.

It is important to remember that the club finished 15th in 2024-25 with just 32 points, whereas the current team are on track for their best points total in nine seasons (61), so qualifying for any European competition would represent remarkable improvement.

Die Kraichgauer failed to achieve victory in three of their four most recent outings on the road, succumbing to defeat in two matches.

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

Team News

Augsburg are unfortunately dealing with key absences in defence, with defenders Chrislain Matsima (thigh), and Keven Schlotterbeck (suspended).

None of Arthur Chaves, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Cedric Zesiger have started more than 21 league matches, but they may have to be relied upon in a three-man defence on Friday.

Hoffenheim's first-team squad is largely available, though with midfielder Wouter Burger unfortunately suspended, there could be an opportunity for Han-Noah Massengo and Fabian Rieder to impress in the middle of the pitch.

Centre-backs Ozan Kabak and Albian Hajdari have not been at their best this season, but they are likely to be given another chance together.

Forward Bazoumana Toure has been linked with moves away this summer, though he is still part of the Hoffenheim squad, and he could be supported in attack by Tim Lemperle and Fisnik Asllani.

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; Chaves, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger; Fellhauer, Massengo, Rieder, Giannoulis; Kade, Claude-Maurice; Ribeiro

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Coufal, Kabak, Hajdari, Bernardo; Promel, Avdullahu, Prass; Asllani; Lemperle, Toure