Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur: UEFA Europa League probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

Submitted by daniel on Mon, 20/01/2025 - 22:04

Hoffenheim face Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday looking to build on their recent Bundesliga win against Holstein Kiel with big points at stake for their hopes of progressing to the knockout round play-offs (kick-off: 6.45pm CET).

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Hoffenheim's 3-1 win away to Holstein Kiel at the weekend was their first since boss Christian Ilzer's first game in charge, when they won 4-3 against RB Leipzig at the end of November. In that period, they lost six times and drew three in all competitions before ending their winless run against Kiel thanks to a brace from Adam Hložek and a goal from Andrej Kramarić. They remain in a lowly 15th place in the Bundesliga but have ended a run of three straight defeats ahead of an enticing Europa League tie. They currently sit in 26th in the standings of the continental competition with six points, just one point behind the crucial cut-off point of 24th place, above which provides progression to a play-off for the knockout rounds. Having not won a game in this competition since October (2-0 vs Dynamo Kyiv), Ilzer's side will see this as a great opportunity to get back to winning ways in front of their fans with a major European scalp. The Austrian coach has his selection options narrowed by a persistently lengthy injury list, with some fears at the start of the week that two players who came off with complaints in the win in Kiel - Erencan Yardımcı and Anton Stach - would join the group of absentees.

Tottenham also sit in 15th domestically, with their season being plagued by injuries and inconsistency up until now. They have only won one of their last 10 in the league, a 5-0 win over Southampton in early December. Since then, they have tasted defeat five times and drawn once, with injuries to key players - such as former Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Van - contributing to their slide down the table. Their most recent league game came against Everton, where they lost 3-2, and saw themselves three goals down by half-time. Despite being winless in their last three in this competition, a win would put them in with a chance of jumping from the play-off places and going straight into the round of 16. Former Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen star Son Heung-min is set to captain Tottenham, but on-loan Leipzig forward Timo Werner will not feature on his return to Germany after recently picking up a thigh injury.

Watch: Holstein Kiel 1-3 Hoffenheim - highlights

Match stats

Kramarić is Hoffenheim’s seven-goal Bundesliga top scorer so far in 2024/25, but is yet to add to his eight Europa League goals from past campaigns.

Hoffenheim are chasing a first win against English opposition after UEFA Champions League losses to Liverpool (2017/18 qualifying) and Manchester City (2018/19 groups).

Hoffenheim are competing in their third season of Europa League football. Their best run took them to the round of 32 in 2020/21.

Werner scored 102 goals across 257 Bundesliga appearances for VfB Stuttgart and Leipzig.

Tottenham have a mixed record against the 10 German clubs they have previously faced in European competition, winning 14, drawing four and losing 12.

Ange Postecoglou’s only previous meetings with Bundesliga sides ended in defeat. The Australian oversaw 3-1 and 2-0 losses to Leipzig in the 2022/23 group stage whilst in charge of Celtic.

Probable teams

Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) - Gendrey, Chaves, Akpoguma, Prass - Stach, Bischof - Hložek, Kramarić, Moerstedt - Tabaković

Out: Bebou (knee), Bülter (thigh), Kabak (knee), Lenz (calf), Orban (ineligible), Prömel (knee), Samassekou (thigh), Tohumcu (ankle), Yardımcı (ineligible)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Christian Ilzer

Tottenham: Forster - Gray, Drăgușin, Davies - Porro, Sarr, Bergvall, Spence - Kulusevski, Maddison - Son (c)

Out: Bentancur (concussion), Johnson (leg), Kinsky (ineligible), Romero (thigh), Solanke (knee), Udogie (thigh), Van de Ven (thigh), Vicario (ankle), Werner (thigh)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Ange Postecoglou

LIVE blog!

Hoffenheim

Thu, 23.01 17:45

Spurs

Europa League

League phase, Matchday 7 League phase, Matchday 7 PreZero Arena

Baumann determined

Hoffenheim's Germany international goalkeeper, Oliver Baumann, urged his teammates to use last weekend's win to push them to greater things this season. "This was the first step in the right direction," the TSG captain said. "We had good energy, a lot of passion and were there for each other. We were a cohesive unit. The direction is clear and so is the significance of this win. I'm relieved; this must give us confidence and courage."

Hložek racking them up

Adam Hložek is Hoffenheim's top scorer in the Europa League with two goals and he took his Bundesliga tally to five with Saturday's crucial double against Kiel.

Tottenham challenges

Spurs have been suffering in the English Premier League of late, with Thursday's visitors to Germany winning just once in their last 10 top-flight games, losing seven. Their latest setback came with a 3-2 loss against Everton at the weekend. In the Europa League, Ange Postecoglou's side are currently in ninth spot, with three wins and two draws from their six games.

Still in the hunt

TSG have picked up six points from their six Europa League games to date and although currently occupying one of the elimination spots in the tournament's league phase, Christian Ilzer's side are just one point from the play-off places for the Round of 16.

Much-needed win

Hoffenheim were nine games without a win in all competitions prior to last weekend's 3-1 victory at fellow Bundesliga strugglers Holstein Kiel. The result lifted the Sinsheimers three points clear of a relegation play-off spot and brought some much-needed morale.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Hoffenheim's seventh UEFA Europa League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.

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