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

Hoffenheim’s pursuit of Champions League football continues this Saturday afternoon when they welcome a relegation-threatened Wolfsburg side to the PreZero Arena.

Die Kraichgauer have endured a slight dip in form over recent weeks, though they have nothing on the Wolves who lost six of their last seven in the Bundesliga - a run of form which has forced the club to make a huge managerial decision.

Match preview

Hoffenheim have enjoyed an extraordinary transformation from serious relegation contenders to Champions League hopefuls, all in a space of a year.

Finishing 15th last term was deemed a success for head coach Christian Ilzer, who steered the club away from the drop zone and secured Bundesliga football for 2025-26.

The Austrian boss has stunned the competition this season by building the second-best attack in the Bundesliga, which already boasts 53 goals - a number only bettered by Bayern Munich’s ridiculous total of 92.

Hoffenheim enter the weekend third in the standings, winning just one match fewer than second-placed Borussia Dortmund this season.

A top four finish and Champions League qualification is now a realistic ambition for Die Kraichgauer, though Ilzer and his men will require a strong end to the campaign.

Finishing strong means overcoming their recent slump, which has seen them win two of their past five matches - a run which includes a couple of defeats to Bayern Munich and St Pauli.

Hoffenheim returned to winning ways last weekend with a 4-2 victory over Heidenheim, though conceding two goals against the competition’s bottom team is somewhat of a concern.

Wolfsburg have never been relegated from the Bundesliga, but that historic first could be just around the corner as the club continues to struggle for results.

The Wolves enter the weekend in 17th spot following an eight-match winless run, sitting four points adrift of safety.

Head coach Daniel Bauer was relieved of his duties following last weekend’s home defeat to Hamburger SV, while former boss Dieter Hecking was named as his immediate successor.

Hecking led the club to two trophies and Champions League football over a decade ago, though keeping Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga this season may surpass those achievements given the current situation.

Volkswagen, who are the sole custodians of the club, have recently announced plans to cut 50,000 jobs following a decline in business, and CEO Oliver Blume has already hinted at potential changes at the football club.

Wolfsburg currently boast the fifth most expensive squad in the Bundesliga, meaning relegation to the second tier could have major implications on the level of investment from the current owners.

Hecking has nine games to turn things around, though considering the club have lost their last three matches and have not tasted victory since mid-January, the task facing the returning head coach is gargantuan.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

W L W D L W

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:

L L D L L L

Team News

Hoffenheim will be without Valentin Gendrey this weekend, with the defender struggling with a knee injury and managing just five minutes of football across his last three outings.

Adam Hlozek is on the road to recovery from his calf injury, though the Czech forward still lacks match fitness and is expected to miss out.

Koki Machida, on the other hand, has a torn cruciate ligament and will remain on the sidelines for some time.

Leon Avdullahu, Wouter Burger and Robin Hranac are all on four yellow cards for the season, meaning one more booking will earn them a suspension.

Wolfsburg have got some good news on the injury front, with Patrick Wimmer, Jonas Wind and Joakim Maehle returning to the squad.

Despite this, the club are still contending with a lengthy injury list which includes the likes of Claiton (ankle), Bence Dardai (knee) and Kilian Fischer (thigh).

Kevin Paredes managed 26 minutes against Augsburg at the end of February, though the American soon returned to the sidelines with a muscle problem.

Mattias Svanberg is a recent addition to the injury list, as is young forward Aaron Zehnter.

The defensive duo of Rogerio and Jenson Seelt complete the enormous absentee list for the visitors.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Coufal, Kabak, Hajdari, Bernardo; Avdullahu, Kramaric, Burger; Prass, Asllani, Toure

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:

Grabara; Adjetey, Jenz, Koulierakis; Kumbedi, Eriksen, Vinicius Souza, Belocian; Lindstrom, Amoura; Pejcinovic

We say: Hoffenheim 3-1 Wolfsburg

Only Bayern Munich have scored more goals than Hoffenheim this season, meaning the hosts could have a field day with Wolfsburg’s leaky defence.

There is a lot at stake for both teams, but we are backing Die Kraichgauer to have too much quality for the visitors, who are banking on a new manager bounce.

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