Hoffenheim vs Holstein Kiel Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 German Bundesliga
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Seventh-place finishers Hoffenheim kick off their latest German top flight campaign against newly-promoted Holstein Kiel, runners-up in 2. Bundesliga last season behind St. Pauli.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday August 24th 2024: UK – 2:30pm / US ET – 9:30am / US PT – 6:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – Some matches will be televised on ESPN channels so it is worth checking their schedules
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – ESPN+
HOFFENHEIM PREVIEW: HOFFENHEIM SET TO BALANCE DOMESTIC COMMITMENTS WITH EUROPE
Hoffenheim under Pellegrino Matarazzo are back in European competition after finishing in seventh-place, which qualifies them for a place in this season’s Europa League. But with that tournament not set to start imminently, Hoffenheim have a free run at making a strong start to their domestic campaign.
Having been handed a friendly-looking opening fixture on paper, Matarazzo and his side will hope to take advantage, especially having strengthened the squad across the summer. Newly crowned Bundesliga champion Adam Hlozek has joined from Bayer Leverkusen, as has Alexander Prass from Sturm Graz.
HOLSTEIN KIEL PREVIEW: CAN KIEL PROVE DOUBTERS WRONG AND STAY UP
Holstein Kiel come into this season as the lowest ranked side in the Bundesliga having finished second-place in the 2. Bundesliga in 2023-24, combined with Fortuna Dusseldorf losing in the relegation/promotion play-off. When taking this into account, it’s understandable that plenty are tipping them to go straight back down.
However, Marcel Rapp and his players will no doubt have something to say about that. The experienced Lewis Holtby captains the side, whilst a defence that conceded just 39 league goals last season in the second tier will need to be at their very best.
HOFFENHEIM TEAM NEWS: FRONT THREE COULD BE THE WAY FORWARD
Expect Hlozek to be thrown straight into the starting XI, lining up alongside premier goalscorer Andrej Kramaric and Marius Bulter. But Hoffenheim are missing plenty of players, with Ihlas Bebou, Marco John, David Jurasek and Ozan Kabak some of the most notable absentees.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Baumann; Drexler, Stach, Akpoguma; Kaderabek, Geiger, Grillitsch, Prass; Hlozek, Kramaric, Bulter
UNAVAILABLE: Bebou (Injured), Becker (Injured), Bischof (Injured), John (Injured), Jurasek (Injured), Kabak (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Tohumcu (Injured)
HOLSTEIN KIEL TEAM NEWS: JOHANSSON IN RACE TO BE FIT
Marcel Rapp faces a wait over the fitness of centre-back Carl Johansson, who is fighting to recover in time from a back problem. However, Colin Kleine-Bekel and Steven Skrzybski are both set to miss out through knee and calf injuries respectively.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Weiner; Becker, Erras, Ivezic; Porath, Knudsen, Holtby, Remberg, Puchacz; Pichler, Machino
UNAVAILABLE: Kleine-Bekel (Injured), Skrzybski (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Johansson (Injured)
HOFFENHEIM VS HOLSTEIN KIEL PREDICTION
Any newly promoted side offers a significant threat to an established Bundesliga outfit and Hoffenheim certainly won’t have everything their own way against a fearless Holstein Kiel. But the gulf in class between the two divisions is evident and adapting to the level up won’t be easy for these Holstein Kiel players.
Hoffenheim’s attack looks a formidable prospect this season with the addition of Hlozek alongside Kramaric and Bulter and with home advantage in their favour, you’d expect goals from them in this one and it’s hard to see Holstein being able to match such offensive prowess.
HOFFENHEIM VS HOLSTEIN KIEL TIP: HOFFENHEIM TO WIN
