TSG Hoffenheim vs. Union Berlin preview: Hoffenheim look to continue top-four charge

High-flyers Hoffenheim welcome Union Berlin to Sinsheim, with the hosts looking to extend their winning streak to five matches.

Hoffenheim 

Hoffenheim enter matchweek 20 of the Bundesliga sitting prettily in third, just three points behind Borussia Dortmund in second. 

After a strong start to the campaign, Christian Ilzer’s side are continuing to shift through the gears in the Rückrunde, having won all of their last four league matches since returning from the winter break. 

With a trip to Bayern Munich coming next week, three points against Union on Saturday are crucial for their top-four challenge – something that would have been inconceivable a year ago, with Hoffenheim locked in a battle at the wrong end of the table. 

Team news

Ilhas Bebou is a doubt going into the weekend through illness, while Wouter Burger is suspended after receiving a red card in the recent win against Werder Bremen.

Adam Hlozek and Cole Campbell are expected to return to action in the coming weeks – the American Campbell looking to make his debut after arriving on loan from Borussia Dortmund earlier this month.

Koki Machida remains out for the season due to a cruciate ligament injury. 

Predicted lineup – 4-1-2-1-2: Baumann – Coufal, Hajdari, Kabak, Bernardo – Avdullahu – Prömel, Prass – Kramaric – Lemperle, Asllani

Union Berlin 

Union enter the weekend sitting ninth in the Bundesliga, and while their campaign has not been as strong as Hoffenheim’s, their performances this term have offered a stark contrast to those of last term.
 

Die Eisernen are winless since returning from the winter break, though, having picked up draws against Mainz, Augsburg and Stuttgart, before falling to a 3-0 defeat against Borussia Dortmund last time out. 

Importantly, while Steffen Baumgart’s side have been far from prolific, goals have been much easier to come by this term, with Union needing to score just 11 times in their next 14 matches to match the tally of 35 registered a year ago. 

Team news

On the injury front, Marin Ljubicic is expected to return to the fold in the coming days, while Robert Skov and Tom Rothe are set to make their returns in mid-February. 

Predicted lineup – 3-5-2: Rønnow – Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite – Trimmel, Schafer, Khedira, Kemlein, Köhn – Burke, Ilic