Match preview

The pressure has ramped up another notch on Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, after he saw his side drop to 15th in the Premier League after a defeat to Goodison Park on Sunday.

Spurs' only success in 10 league games came against bottom-of-the-table Southampton, and if results continue, they could certainly be dragged into a relegation battle.

Ahead of this European encounter, the visitors may be encouraged slightly by the fact their last three wins have all come in cup competitions, beating Manchester United and Liverpool in the EFL Cup, and Tamworth in the FA Cup.

Form in Europe took a hit at the end of 2024 though, with Spurs failing to win any of their last three in this competition, their longest winless streak on the continent for almost seven years.

That has seen them plummet from the summit down to ninth, with it looking likely they will need four points from their last two games to be sure of a spot in the top eight.

Spurs will face an Elfsborg side yet to pick up a single point on the road at home on matchday eight, meaning they will be heavy favourites, and that may take some of the pressure off knowing a draw here may be satisfactory.

However, given their recent form, Postecoglou seriously needs a win, and they have plenty of opportunities to get one in a stacked schedule over the next few weeks, with back-to-back European fixtures, and the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final to come in quick succession.

Spurs did win their last game against German opposition back in 2022, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2, but that ended a five-game winless run at the time, with this country rarely a happy hunting ground for them.

Hoffenheim meanwhile, have lost all four previous matches against English clubs - losing both legs in Champions League qualifying against Liverpool in 2017, before being beaten home and away by Manchester City in the following season's group stage.

The days of Hoffenheim battling for the top four in the Bundesliga seem a lifetime ago at present though, given their current predicament that sees them scrapping near the bottom.

While the winter break did little to reset Hoffenheim's poor form, they were finally able to arrest a nine-game winless run at the weekend, beating Holstein Kiel 3-1 in a vital relegation six-pointer to move them out of the bottom three.

Christian Ilzer's men have taken just 17 points from a possible 54 this season, but they moved up to 15th with that win, and they will look to continue that momentum into Europe, where they will need another to stand any chance of progressing.

Hoffenheim have taken 83% of their points here at home in the league phase, and they remain unbeaten at the PreZero Arena, but this will be their last chance to make the most of home advantage before going to Anderlecht on matchday eight.

Starting the matchday in 26th, four points will probably be enough for Hoffenheim to advance, while two wins will guarantee that, but considering that they have taken just one point on the road so far, anything but a win here could be fatal for their chances.

That lack of away form can be attributed to a change in their club's style in recent years, because despite often being one of Europe's highest-scoring outfits, that attacking spark has evaded them this season.

Ilzer's men have failed to score in five of their last 10 Europa League fixtures, including both of the last two, after finding the net at least once in their first 18 games in the competition between 2017 and 2020.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Gendrey, Arthur Chaves, Akpoguma, Prass; Geiger, Stach; Kaderabek, Kramaric, Hlozek; Moerstedt

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Austin; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Davies, Spence; Gray, Bergvall, Kulusevski; Richarlison, Lankshear, Moore