Germany Bundesliga: Hoffenheim x Bayern Munich, Match Preview, Odds and Predictions(18/05/2024)

On May 18, 2024, at PreZero Arena, Hoffenheim will play host to Bayern München in the German Bundesliga. With 43 points, Hoffenheim is in seventh place, behind Bayern Munich in second (72 points). Prepare to be captivated by the highly anticipated matchup between Hoffenheim and Bayern München. 

Head To Head And Previous Matches

To begin with the hosts, Hoffenheim will be involved in a match that might decide the season, unlike Bayern Munich, who may have nothing riding on Saturday's encounter. Pellegrino Matarazzo's squad will be well aware of the significance of this match, as they are currently in a one-point lead in the race for a renowned return to Europe. 

The former Stuttgart coach has only lost once in his team's last four Bundesliga outings, the most recent of which was a 6-0 thumping of Darmstadt. After a little setback during and after March's international break, Hoffenheim will look to build on their recent home victory. This past Saturday, the hosts won all three matches in the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, including a nail-biting 4-3 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach on April 20.

The visiting Bayern Munich team has been through a prominent internal conflict since losing the Bundesliga title this season. Going into Saturday's match against Hoffenheim, it has already been announced that Thomas Tuchel would be leaving his position as coach. Similarly, the opponents will finish the 2023–24 season trophyless. After last week's humiliating 3-2 aggregate loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, the former Chelsea manager's team has become notorious for its lengthy struggles away from the Allianz Arena. The current winless streak for Bayern, which began on January 27 and includes a 3-1 thrashing at the hands of Stuttgart earlier this month, extends across all tournaments and matches played outside of Munich.

Hoffenheim x Bayern Munich Team News

Hoffenheim has announced that Mergim Berisha and Marco John would not play in this match due to their ongoing long-term injuries, respectively. Also sitting on the bench this weekend is Stanley Nsoki, a former PSG defender who hasn't played since returning from the international break in March.

Togo international Ihlas Bebou, who scored twice away at Darmstadt last week in the Bundesliga, will be looking to maintain his position as Matarazzo's primary attacker. But former Manchester United loanee Wout Weghorst, who has returned to Hoffenheim's roster after a minor injury, might make his Bundesliga debut since April 26 if given the chance.

Even though England captain Harry Kane may have sat out last weekend's match against Wolfsburg due to a back problem, Bayern's offensive star is anticipated to return to full strength on Saturday. Unfortunately for Tuchel, stars like Raphael Guerreiro, Kingsley Coman, and Serge Gnabry won't be available here.

Also not scheduled to play this weekend at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena is Germany international Jamal Musiala. Bayern should start French defender Dayot Upamecano with Min-Jae Kim again, despite Real Madrid's Champions League horror.

Our Predictions

Hoffenheim to win or draw @1.99 on Sky247.ng

On Saturday, the hosts will play in a game that will define the season, even if Hoffenheim may start as heavy underdogs with the bookies. This weekend, some in Matarazzo's side may be seeing a chance, knowing that a maximum of points would be sufficient to propel them to an astonishing return to Europe. We favor a home double chance at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena because Bayern still shows severe problems outside of Munich and has nothing to play for as they end Tuchel's term.

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