1899 Hoffenheim – FC Augsburg TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – FC Augsburg
In the midst of the thrilling relegation battle, TSG Hoffenheim (14th place, 26 points) will face FC Augsburg (9th place, 38 points). On Saturday at the PreZero Arena, the hosts will be fighting for much-needed points to avoid relegation, while the Fuggerstadt team will be looking to underline their strong form in the upper midfield. Hoffenheim’s last game, a 1-0 defeat to FC St. Pauli, has somewhat halted their upward trend. By contrast, Augsburg confirmed their reputation as a solid force with a 1-0 home win over VfL Wolfsburg. Interesting fact: the direct clash in November ended in a 0-0 draw, while Hoffenheim won the test match in January 3-1. Equally striking is the early goal drought for both teams: in 80% of their duels, there were fewer than 1.5 goals before half-time.
Hoffenheim – Augsburg Info
- Venue: PreZero Arena, Sinsheim
- Date and Time: 29.03.2025, 3:30 pm
- Competition: Bundesliga
Hoffenheim Form & Record Check
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim continue to fluctuate between hopes and setbacks. The convincing 3-1 away win at Werder Bremen was followed by a laborious 1-1 draw against VfB Stuttgart, before a narrow 1-0 win in Bochum fueled hopes of more stability. But the 1-1 draw against Heidenheim was ultimately a disappointment, and the latest setback, a 1-0 loss at St. Pauli, once again highlighted the team’s lack of firepower in attack. A recurring pattern is striking: in the last five games, hardly any goals have been scored after the break – TSG seems either unsettled or too passive in the second half. In addition, the negative goal quotient of -16 means that the team has to not only create more chances, but also convert them more consistently.
Hoffenheim coach Christian Ilzer is likely to revert to a 4-2-3-1 system again. First-choice goalkeeper Baumann is expected to be in goal, with a back four of Hranáč, Kadeřábek, Jurásek and Akpoguma in front of him. Becker and Stach are likely to be the defensive midfielders. Tohumcu, Bischof and Kramarić are expected to move into attacking midfield to support striker Orban. Ilzer will continue to be without key players: Hlozek (ankle operation), Østigård (muscular problems) and Kabak with his cruciate ligament rupture are not available. Prass, Lenz, Samassékou, Prömel and Bebou are also missing, which significantly thins out the squad, especially in offense.
FC Augsburg Form & Record Check
FC Augsburg are currently one of the most solid defenses in the Bundesliga. In their last five league games, the Fuggerstadt team kept a clean sheet and collected three wins and two draws. They recently beat VfL Wolfsburg 1-0, with Tietz once again excelling as the match-winning scorer. Even more remarkable was the previous 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund, which highlighted how efficiently and tactically disciplined Jess Thorup’s team plays. With quick transitions and clever conversion of chances, Augsburg repeatedly puts pressure on opponents. Their compact formation makes it difficult for opponents to create dangerous offensive actions against FCA, which is reflected in the many games with few goals.
FC Augsburg are once again expected to play the proven 3-4-2-1. Dahmen is likely to keep his place in goal, while Matsima, captain Gouweleeuw and Zesiger will form the back three. Wolf and Onyeka are expected to operate on the wings, with Rexhbeçaj and Maier directing the build-up play in the center. Claude-Maurice and Jensen could provide the offensive creativity behind striker Tietz. Thorup has some injury concerns, such as Berisha (thigh) or Oxford, Kabadayi and Koudossou, but still has Mounié and Essende as goalscoring options on the bench. The flexible system with ball-playing midfielders and fast wingers has caused many opponents major problems recently.
Hoffenheim v Augsburg head to head & stats
In their last five meetings, Hoffenheim have won two, Augsburg have won once, and twice have ended in a draw. Hoffenheim’s defense, in particular, has looked vulnerable against the Fuggerstadt-based club in recent times, conceding at least one goal in three consecutive encounters. The most recent game in January 2025 ended with a 3-1 win for Hoffenheim, while the Bundesliga game in November 2024 ended goalless. It is interesting to note that in 80% of these games, no goals had been scored by half-time and four of the last five duels had ended with fewer than 2.5 goals. While the Kraichgau team often seems more active at the start, Augsburg often scores with patient defense and consistency after the break.
