Hoffenheim vs. FCSB preview: Team news and predicted lineups

Here’s our preview of Thursday’s UEFA League fixture between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and FCSB Bucharest, including our predicted lineups.

German Europa League representatives TSG 1899 Hoffenheim have been struggling under the newly-installed coaching regime of Christian Ilzer. After a dramatic comeback win over Leipzig in Ilzer’s debut, Ilzer’s Kraigauer failed to score a goal in three straight losses. A 1-1 draw against Freiburg on Sunday at least snapped the losing and scoreless skid.

There remains plenty of room for improvement in Ilzer’s squad. Many German footballing pundits have called into question his not-entirely-convincing style of personnel management. In five matches under Ilzer, the team has only held the lead for three minutes in a total of 450 minutes of football. The last Europa League outing proved an absolute unmitigated disaster.

Hoffenheim’s Romanian guests have amassed double the amount of points (10) as their host through five Europa League rounds. FCSB roll into Sinsheim on a five-game unbeaten-run and have won three on-the-trot. The Romanian champs qualified for the 2024/25 UEL by defeating four opponents in the qualifying rounds. Since then, they’ve knocked off Rigas, PAOK Saloniki, and FC Copenhagen.

Speaking at his Wednesday pre-match presser, Ilzer declared himself satisfied with the new double six pairing of Diadia Samassekou and Anton Stach in midfield. Beyond that, one can expect heavy rotations from Sunday’s 1-1.

Click here to see our predicted lineups.