Hoffenheim will take a major step towards their Bundesliga survival when they travel to the Volkswagen Arena on Friday to take on Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg are currently 12th on 39 points and must neither be relegated nor qualify for European competition in the final two weeks of the season, while Hoffenheim are fourth from bottom on 31 points and 15th, needing two points to be safe, after a 4-4 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on May 3. Wolfsburg's 4-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday ended their hopes of qualifying for Europe, and they are now 11 points behind sixth-placed RB Leipzig.

Head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl is concerned about a weak defence, with his side having conceded 10 goals in their last four games and failing to keep a clean sheet in 12 games. The hosts have won both of their two encounters with Hoffenheim this season, winning 3-0 in the DFB Cup on December 4 and 1-0 in the league on January 11. Hasenhüttl will hope his side can rectify their worrying form, as they are winless in eight games and have lost six of those games during that period, five of which were goalless.

Wolfsburg have lost three consecutive home games going into Friday's game, and also ended in draws in their previous three games at the Volkswagen Arena. As for Hoffenheim, they fell behind 0-2 and 2-3 against Borussia Mönchengladbach, but will be disappointed not to take all three points, as they were leading 4-3 in the 81st minute only to be equalised in the 91st. Head coach Christian Ilzer's side have scored at least two goals in their last four games, a total of 10 in that period, more than they had in their previous nine games (9). Hoffenheim have won just one of their last eight games - four losses and three draws - and are winless in three games.

The visitors have struggled on the road in the last few weeks, losing three and drawing one of their last four away games. Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold will miss the game due to suspension, as will he and Mathias Swanberg, though Lovro Majer, Aster Franks and Yannick Gerhardt are available.

In defence, Kevin Paredes, Rogerio and Sebastiaan Bornauw are injured, leaving Mads Roerslev, David Odogu, Konstantinos Kouliarakis and Joakim Maehle as candidates for the back four. Jonas Wind is often used up front, while Jakub Kaminski and Mohamed El Amine Amoura are likely to support him in attack.

Opponents Hoffenheim are dealing with numerous injury problems, with defenders Christopher Lentz, Ozan Kabak and Valentin Gendre all set to miss the game, so Artur Chavez, Leo Ostigard and Stanley Nsoki are likely to feature in the back three. With Diadie Samassekou and Grischa Promel ruled out, Anton Stach and Tom Bischof will almost certainly start in midfield. An injury to striker Ihlas Bebou is likely to keep him out until the middle of the month, while his muscle problem could see Marius Bulter, Andrej Kramaric and Adam Hlozek drafted in at the front.

Wolfsburg predicted starting lineup:

Grabara; Rulslev, Odog, Kuliarakis, Meeller; Mayer, Franks, Gerhardt; Kaminski, Feng, Amora

Hoffenheim predicted starting lineup:

Baumann; Chavez, Ostigard, Nsoki; Kadrabek, Stach, Bischoff, Toure; Burt, Kramaric; Hlozek