Bundesliga | Gameweek 27

Mar 29, 2025 at 2.30pm UK

DnB NOR Arena

Hoffenheim vs Augsburg

Match preview

Hoffenheim's survival hopes were boosted by a four-game unbeaten run between mid-February and early March, when they picked up eight points (W2 D2), but they suffered a 1-0 defeat away at relegation-threatened St. Pauli in their final game before the international break.

The Kraichgauer failed to register a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes, and a 51st-minute strike from St Pauli's Noah Weisshaupt was enough to condemn Christian Ilzer's side to their 12th league defeat of the season.

Hoffenheim have won just six Bundesliga games so far this season, the lowest number of victories in 26 top-flight matches since the 2012-13 and 2015-16 seasons (five each). They sit 15th in the table with eight league games remaining, six points above the relegation zone.

The Kraichgauer have picked up as many Bundesliga points at home as they have away in 26 games this term (13 each), but they go into Saturday's game without a win in their last seven home league games (D4 L3) - the longest such run of any current top-flight side.

The last time Hoffenheim went without a win at home was between 2022 and 2023 (nine matches - a joint club record). Meanwhile, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 33 Bundesliga home games - the longest such run in the history of the league.

However, Hoffenheim have every reason to be confident of success this weekend, having won 15 of their 27 Bundesliga meetings with Augsburg (D6 L6) and beating them more often than any other team in the top flight.

Since losing 1-0 at home to Stuttgart on 12 January, Augsburg have gone on a club-record 10-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga (W6 D4), the longest such run in the top flight, which was extended by a 1-0 home win over Wolfsburg a fortnight ago.

Cedric Zesiger's through ball set up Phillip Tietz for the decisive goal eight minutes after the break, while some heroics from Finn Dahmen helped the Fuggerstädter to maximum points and a club-record sixth consecutive clean sheet.

In fact, Augsburg have conceded the fewest goals in Europe's top five leagues in 2025 (three) and have kept 10 Bundesliga clean sheets overall this season, just one short of their club record (11) in 2015-16 under former boss Markus Weinzierl.

Current head coach Jess Thorup has his side in ninth place in the Bundesliga table, just four points off the top six with eight games remaining. With 38 points from 26 games, Augsburg are enjoying their best Bundesliga campaign since 2014-15 (also 38 points), the only time they have been better off at this stage was in 2013-14 (39 points).

Augsburg go into Saturday's game unbeaten in their last six Bundesliga away games (W4 D2), conceding just one goal - an own goal - in the process, but they have lost each of their last four league games at Hoffenheim, conceding a total of 10 goals.

Recent Performance

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:LWDWDL

Augsburg Bundesliga form:DDWDWW

Team News

Hoffenheim defender Leo Ostigard (thigh) was forced off in the first half of Norway's 5-0 win over Moldova in World Cup qualifying last weekend and is a doubt, along with Alexander Prass and Adam Hlozek (both ankle).

Ihlas Bebou, Ozan Kabak and Grischa Promel remain sidelined with knee injuries, while Christopher Lenz (calf) and Diadie Samassekou (thigh) are also in the treatment room.

Ostigard's possible absence could see Arthur Chaves start alongside Kevin Akpoguma at the heart of defence, while the rest of the first XI could remain intact, with Andrej Kramaric supporting Gift Orban in attack.

For Augsburg, Robert Gumny (groin), Yusuf Kabadayi (knee), Henri Koudossou (muscle) and Reece Oxford (illness) remain sidelined, while Mergim Berisha (thigh) will be assessed before kick-off.

Thorup has no reason to change his defensive line-up given that they have not conceded a goal in over 540 minutes, so Zesiger, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Chrislain Matsima will continue at the back to protect Dahmen.

Alexis Claude-Maurice has scored a team-high 10 goals so far this season, and the midfielder is likely to retain his place in an advanced role alongside Fredrik Jensen, behind either Tietz or Samuel Essende up front.

Possible starting lineup

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Kaderabek, Chaves, Akpoguma, Jurasek; Stach, Becker; Bischof, Kramaric, Bulter; Orban

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger; Wolf, Rexhbecaj, Onyeka, Giannoulis; Jensen, Claude-Maurice; Tietz