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VfL Wolfsburg – TSG Hoffenheim
After the first semifinal matches in the European Cup during the week, the eyes in soccer Germany turn back to the Bundesliga this weekend. There, the 32nd matchday is already on the agenda. For almost all teams, the last three games are extremely important. An exciting duel will take place on Saturday at 15:30 in the east of Lower Saxony. There, VfL Wolfsburg will welcome TSG Hoffenheim. Our Wolfsburg vs. Hoffenheim tip will tell you who will land the important three points on Saturday.
The hosts would like to experience European nights again next season. The Wolves definitely still have a chance of making it into the Europa League, as VfL is currently in seventh place, two points behind Bayer Leverkusen above them. Last week, however, the Lower Saxons suffered a significant setback in the fight for Europe. In Dortmund, the VfL went down 0:6.
The guests from Kraichgau, on the other hand, landed three big points in the fight to stay in the league. TSG won 3:1 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt and increased the gap to the relegation zone to four points. With a win of their own and losses of points by Stuttgart and Bochum, TSG would even clinch the relegation spot on this matchday. Thus, the Kraichgauer would remain one of the few teams that have never been relegated from the Bundesliga. Their opponents from Wolfsburg also belong to this select group of only seven teams.
Wolfsburg – Hoffenheim info
- Date & Time: 13.05.2023, 15:30 hrs.
- Game venue: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 32.
- TV coverage: Sky
Wolfsburg form & balance check
VfL Wolfsburg have had many extremely good periods this season. In the first half of the season, the Wolves remained ten games without defeat. And in the second half of the season, coach Niko Kovac’s team went five games in a row without a defeat. However, the Lower Saxons also concede unnecessary defeats time and again.
This was also the case the previous week in Dortmund. The Wolves played quite well in the beginning, but had a total failure in the defense over 90 minutes. Despite the bitter defeat, the team from Lower Saxony is still in seventh place in the standings.
With running to success
Despite the stinging defeat in Dortmund, VfL Wolfsburg is enjoying a much better season than last year. Under the leadership of Niko Kovac, the team underwent an impressive revival. Compared to last year, Wolfsburg now has nine more points under its belt. The team is improving significantly, especially on the offensive end, and has already scored 15 goals more than at the same point in the previous season.
However, the Lower Saxons owe their success not only to their goal output, but also to their style of play. The Wolves are by far the team with the most runs in the league. In the Bundesliga, they lead both the number of sprints and the number of intense runs. Ridle Baku stands out in particular. The right winger has completed 897 sprints so far this season – the third most in the league.
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
- First four wins in the second half of the season.
- In seventh place in the Bundesliga
- In ninth place in the second-round table
Hoffenheim form & balance check
TsG 1899 Hoffenheim are giving their all in the relegation battle and show no signs of fatigue. Currently, the team is in 14th place and is four points ahead of 17th from Bochum. However, after a short dry spell, the team is showing an upward tendency again. If some results go in TSG’s favor, the Kraichgauer could even finally avoid going down to the 2. Bundesliga as early as this weekend.
TSG won 3:1 against Frankfurt the previous week, giving them some breathing room in the relegation battle. However, TSG has yet to record a single away win against a team from the top half of the table.
Prömel with comeback
This past weekend, Grischa Prömel made his starting eleven comeback for TSG Hoffenheim. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist was an absolute regular in the Kraichgauer’s first 13 games of the season and hardly missed a minute.
However, the 28-year-old suffered a serious ankle injury against Leipzig in early November and was out for a very long time. In time for the season finale, however, the newcomer from Union Berlin is now fit again. Against Frankfurt, Prömel already fought his way through 90 minutes and was only substituted in injury time.
Hoffenheim facts & analysis
- Only one point away from home against teams from the top half of the table.
- Nine away defeats already
- Just four points off the relegation place
Predicted lineup – last update on May 11, 2023
VfL Wolfsburg last played with a three-man backline in Dortmund and went down hard. That’s why we think the Wolves will go back to a 4-3-3 this weekend. However, Lacroix, Otávio and Lukas Nmecha are missing for the VfL due to injury.
Hoffenheim will again go into the game in Wolfsburg with a 3-5-2. Grischa Prömel made his comeback in the starting eleven against Frankfurt and will probably be in the starting eleven on Saturday as well. Stanley Nsoki, however, will miss the weekend for the Kraichgauers after being sent off the previous week.
Wolfsburg – Hoffenheim direct comparison & statistics
Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg have met 30 times so far. The wolves have the clear nose in front. The VfL has already won 14 times against the Kraichgauer. TSG, on the other hand, has only won nine encounters. Wolfsburg also won the first leg. In November, the Wolves won 2-1 in Sinsheim.
- Hoffenheim won three of last four games against Wolfsburg.
- Both teams are separated by 14 points in the league.
- When Wolfsburg leads 1-0 in home games, they win only 62% of matches
- Did you know that Hoffenheim scores 26% of its goals between the 31-45 minute?
