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Two domestic struggles collide in the Europa League on Thursday night as Tottenham Hotspur travel to Hoffenheim in Round 7 of the league stage.
Both teams have been hit hard by injuries this season and currently sit 15th in their respective league tables. After parting ways with Pellegrino Matarazza in November, Hoffenheim’s form has only worsened and they are well into the fight for survival.
They achieved their fourth victory Bundesliga weekend season, however. as they beat one of the few teams that were worse than them in this period, Holstein Kiel, 3-1. Perhaps that will fire up the hosts on Thursday, who must work to secure a place in the play-offs in this competition.
Tottenham are four points and 18 places clear of Hoffenheim in the Premier League table and Ange Postecoglou’s side are likely to go into the final match with a top eight spot in their hands if they get a rare win on Thursday.
Spurs have won just three of their previous 15 games in all competitions and one more Premier League defeat at the weekend means they are just eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Here 90 minutes guide for Thursday European league conflict.
Hoffenheim – Tottenham mutual result
This is the first competitive match between Hoffenheim and Tottenham.
Current form (all competitions)
|
Hoffenheim |
Tottenham |
|---|---|
|
Holstein Kiel 1-3 Hoffenheim – 18.1.25 |
Everton 3-2 Tottenham – 19.1.25 |
|
Bayern Munich 5-0 Hoffenheim – 15.01.25 |
Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham – 15.1.25 |
|
Hoffenheim 0-1 Wolfsburg – 01.11.25 |
Tamworth 0-3 (AET) Tottenham – 01.12.25 |
|
Hoffenheim 1-2 Borussia Monchengladbach – 21.12.24 |
Tottenham 1-0 Liverpool – 01.08.25 |
|
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Hoffenheim – 15.12.24 |
Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle – 01.04.25 |
|
Earth |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
Great Britain |
Discovery+, Discovery+ App, TNT Sports 2 |
|
United States |
Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN.com, TUDN App, TUDN USA |
|
Canada |
DAZN Canada |
Like their visitors, Hoffenheim have been hit hard by injuries this season.
Experienced midfielder Florian Grillitsch is among the absentees, and the hosts are also without Grische Promel, Ihlas Bebou and Marius Bulter. Former Liverpool defender Ozan Kabak is nursing a long-term knee injury but is expected to return next month.
Tom Bischof is one to watch in the midfield he recently agreed to join Bayern Munich at Bosman in the summer. Andrej Kramaraić and Adam Hlozek are Hoffenheim’s main threats in attack.
Expected line-up of Hoffenheim against Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Baumann; Gendrey, Chaves, Akpoguma, Prass; Bischof, Stach; Kaderabek, Kramarić, Hložek; Moerstedt.
Cristian Romero was included in training ahead of Thursday’s game, but the Argentine will not feature at Hoffenheim after spending weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury. Micky van de Ven should return to training next week.
Radu Dragusin should be ready to play, and Rodrigo Bentancur has left the team. The Uruguayan will start at the base of the midfield with Yves Bissouma who was the last to earn a hamstring injury. It looks like Pape Sarr will also miss out.
Arriving in January, Antonin Kinsky cannot be registered until the end of the league stage, while Ded Spence was also not included in Postecoglou’s starting squad for the competition.
Dominic Solanke, Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner are absent.
Predicted line-up of Tottenham against Hoffenheim (4-3-3): Austin; Porro, Dragušin, Gray, Davies; Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison; Kulusevski, Richarlison, Moore.
Despite another defeat at Everton on Sunday, this one beaten Tottenham the team hasn’t given up on the manager yet. They want to put things right and face a team that has suffered similar woes this season.
Hoffenheim have also been hit by injuries, but they may have a spring in their step after Saturday’s triumph. They have attacking profiles that can hurt Tottenham, and Ilzer’s side should look to take advantage of a Spurs side that simply doesn’t win away from home.
There should be goals on Thursday night and the spoils could be shared when it’s all over.
