Holstein Kiel – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Our Kiel – Hoffenheim prediction is: Kiel win – 2.90 odds
- Kiel comes into this game with enormous self-confidence after their 4-2 win against Dortmund, while Hoffenheim will be more than unsettled after the 0-5 humiliation
- Kiel has won all three of their matches this season at home
- Hoffenheim has not yet won a game in an away stadium in the current season
The Bundesliga continues this weekend with match day 18, and we can look forward to many exciting games again. Especially in the relegation battle, things are going to be incredibly exciting again after the last match day. In the middle of it, somewhat surprisingly, is TSG Hoffenheim. The Sinsheim-based team has to play against the promoted team from Kiel in a direct duel on Saturday afternoon, and an incredibly difficult task awaits them in the north.
After all, Holstein proved in their last game against BVB that they are capable of beating even their presumably much stronger opponents. But Hoffenheim, at least according to their statistics, doesn’t even belong in this category this season. So we can look forward to an open and intense game, the outcome of which could theoretically put Hoffenheim in a direct relegation spot. Whether that will happen and what kind of game we should prepare for, you can find out in our Kiel – Hoffenheim betting tip.
Kiel – Hoffenheim info
- Date & time: 18.01.2025, 15:30
- Venue: Holstein Stadium, Kiel
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 18
- TV broadcast/live stream: SKY
Kiel Form & record check
The Kielers are currently in the best phase of their first Bundesliga season. In their last three games, they only conceded a defeat to SC Freiburg and otherwise won against Augsburg and even Dortmund. In this last game, the storks made fantastic use of their counter-attacking opportunities against Dortmund and were so stable at the back that Borussia had no ideas. The 4-2 victory is therefore fully deserved.
In the table, the relegation zone is getting closer and closer, which is good news for Kiel. They are currently in 17th place, but are only three points behind the direct relegation spot. If they win against Hoffenheim, they would be above the line for the first time since match day three.
Home advantage in the north
The home crowd and familiar surroundings seem to be an extremely important factor for the storks. They have been managing to perform well there more and more often lately, impressing with good results. Even though they have not yet managed to win a single game away from home, the world looks very different at home.
On their own ground, they have so far suffered six defeats, but have also won three times. Every single one of their victories this season has taken place in their own stadium. With this record, they are even ranked 15th in the league-wide home table.
Kiel facts & analysis
- 17th place in the table
- Two wins from the last three games
- Last league game won 4:2 against Dortmund
Hoffenheim form & record check
The Hoffenheimers are currently in the middle of a crisis, the current situation of the Sinsheimers must be presented so clearly. What the reason for these poor performances is, is unclear. What is clear is that TSG now urgently needs to score three points again to avoid getting even deeper into the relegation battle.
Meanwhile, they have been waiting for a win for six games and are on a triple series of defeats after the defeats against Gladbach, Wolfsburg and Bayern. In the 5-0 defeat against Munich, it was shocking to see how anemic this team was. Losing at the Allianz Arena is a disgrace, but the way TSG played and presented itself was not worthy of the Bundesliga. They are now in 16th place, and quite rightly so.
They’re stuck in attack
Although the Sinsheim team has a very diverse and high-quality offense with Adam Hlozek, Andrej Kramaric, Haris Tabakovic, Gift Orban and Max Moerstedt, they have enormous problems in moving forward.
At the beginning of the season, the attack worked relatively well, but in recent weeks the players have been completely out of sorts. Since the last win against Leipzig, TSG has scored only three goals in six games, making it the worst offense in the entire league during that time.
Hoffenheim facts & analysis
- 16th place in the table
- Without a win in six games
- Last game lost 0-5 against Bayern
Kiel will start the next matchday in a 3-4-2-1 formation again. It is not to be expected that coach Marcel Rapp will make any major changes to his squad. If he does want to rotate due to the workload, Arp would probably be the first option for the offense.
Something urgently needs to change at TSG if they are to be successful. After it didn’t work at all in the 4-3-2-1 against Bayern, Christian Ilzer will send his team out on the pitch in a 4-2-3-1 again. Prass will probably start again, with Nsoki either moving to the bench or into the center for Akpoguma. It is questionable whether Stach and Samassékou are fit enough to play from the start, otherwise Geiger and Becker will take their places. In the forward line, coach Ilzer has many options to choose from.
Kiel – Hoffenheim head-to-head & statistics
Holstein Kiel and TSG Hoffenheim have only played each other twice so far. Both of these games were won by the Sinsheim team at home. First, there was a very dominant 5-1 win in the DFB Cup in the 2021/22 season against the then second division team, and in the first half of the current season, Hoffenheim won by a narrow margin of 3-2.
Direct comparison (H2H)
