Professionals, 20. November 2020
Record against Hoffenheim
Overall: 21 matches, 9 wins, 6 draws, 6 defeats, 37:33 goal difference
In the Bundesliga: 20 matches, 8 wins, 6 draws, 6 defeats, 33:30 goal difference
Team news
Hoffenheim resumed full training at the start of this week after the squad had been placed in quarantine for a number of days, but they are expected to be without up to a dozen players who have tested positive for COVID-19. Top scorer Andrej Kramaric, who scored six goals in the opening three games of the season, could make his comeback.
Reunions
VfB head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo worked at Hoffenheim from 2017 to the end of 2019 – as a youth coach and then as assistant to the first team. VfB goalkeepers Jens Grahl and Gregor Kobel have also donned TSG colours in the past.
On the Hoffenheim side, Ermin Bicakcic, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Sebastian Rudy can all count VfB among their previous clubs, while head coach Sebastian Hoeneß also wore the red hoop as a youngster and won the U17 German title.
Runs
VfB go into this encounter unbeaten in six Bundesliga games, recording two wins and four draws. In contrast, Hoffenheim are winless in five. Matarazzo’s men are also undefeated on their travels this season (W2 D1).
Tough tackler
Wataru Endo has won more tackles (116) than any other player in the Bundesliga after the first seven rounds of matches.
