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Bundesliga | Gameweek 22
Feb 21, 2021 at 5pm UK
Rhein-Neckar-Arena
WB
Hoffenheim
4 - 0
Werder Bremen
Bebou (26'), Baumgartner (44'), Dabour (49'), Rutter (90')
Rudy (16'), Kaderabek (51')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Toprak (8'), Friedl (69')

Preview: Hoffenheim vs. Werder Bremen - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Hoffenheim vs. Werder Bremen - prediction, team news, lineups: ID:435894: from db_amp
Sports Mole previews Sunday's Bundesliga clash between Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Hoffenheim host Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with the two sides level on points in the table as they look to move clearer of relegation trouble.

Both sides drew last weekend, which leaves them five points clear of the bottom three.


Match preview

Hoffenheim continued their strong record against Borussia Dortmund in recent years by claiming a respectable 2-2 draw away from home last weekend.

After Erling Braut Haaland and Ihlas Bebou missed guilt-edged chances for either side, Jadon Sancho showed the pair of strikers how it was done by coolly slotting past Oliver Baumann to open the scoring after a superb slide-rule pass by Raphael Guerreiro.

However, Sebastian Hoeness's side rallied in response, with a fine switch of play taking several BVB players out of the game to help create space for Munas Dabbur to equalise, before Marwin Hitz flapped a cross straight at Bebou to allow Hoffenheim to take the lead after the break.

Haaland controversially salvaged a point for Edin Terzic's side by racing in behind Hoffenheim's defence after Dabbur had remained injured on the ground for several seconds, with the Israel striker in fine form once again in midweek by bagging a brace in a 3-3 draw with Molde in the Europa League last-32 on Thursday evening.

In contrast, Werder Bremen continue to defend solidly having not conceded more than once in any of their last seven matches, but struggle for creativity.

Indeed, Florian Kohfeldt's side endured a goalless bore draw against Freiburg last weekend which would have tested even the most hardened football fan's concentration skills such was the lack of quality on display.

Milos Veljkovic spurned the best opportunity of the game moments before half time after seeing his header denied by Florian Muller at point-blank range, but Kohfeldt clearly seemed content with avoiding defeat as his team sat deep after the break to comfortably hold onto what they had.

Bremen may find opportunities easier to come by against a Hoffenheim side who defend and press higher up the pitch, with the likes of Milot Rashica and Joshua Sargent likely to enjoy the space in behind.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form: DWWLLD
Hoffenheim form (all competitions): WWLLDD

Werder Bremen Bundesliga form: DWLWDD
Werder Bremen form (all competitions): WLWDWD


Team News

Hoffenheim's availability problems continue to plague their season, with Kevin Vogt suspended for the match against Bremen after the defender picked up his fifth booking of the season in Dortmund.

Stefan Posch is also unavailable due to testing positive for COVID-19, with Ishak Belfodil, Robert Skov, Andrej Kramaric, Havard Nordtveit, Ryan Sessegnon, Kevin Akpoguma, Dennis Geiger, Ermin Bicakcic, Benjamin Hubner and Kostas Stafylidis all likely to remain in the treatment room.

Bremen, meanwhile, will travel to Hoffenheim without defenders Veljkovic and Marco Friedl due to calf and ankle injuries respectively.

Otherwise Kohfeldt appears to have no other selection concerns, with Niklas Moisander and Christian Gross likely to come into the defence.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Kasim, Bogarde, Richards; Kaderabek, Rudy, Samassekou, John; Baumgartner; Bebou, Dabbur

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Pavlenka; Moisander, Toprak, Gross; Gebre Selassie, Eggestein, Mohwald, Bittencourt, Augustinsson; Rashica, Sargent


We say: Hoffenheim 1-1 Werder Bremen

Hoffenheim's astonishing availability crisis leaves them vulnerable, but we think they can avoid defeat against a Bremen side who have shown themselves to be content with a point on several occasions this season.

Both side's domestic aims are likely to be centered around avoiding relegation this season, with the Europa League and the DFB-Pokal respectively providing the real ceiling of their ambitions.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Away:data



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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Stuttgart76012281418
2Borussia DortmundDortmund7520168817
3Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen65102061416
4Hoffenheim75021611515
5Bayern MunichBayern64202061414
6RB Leipzig74211661014
7Wolfsburg7403109112
8Freiburg6312710-310
9Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt614145-17
10Heidenheim62131013-37
11SV Darmstadt 9872141219-77
12Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach71331316-36
13Union BerlinUnion Berlin72051114-36
14Werder Bremen72051217-56
15Augsburg71241017-75
16VfL BochumVfL Bochum7043519-144
17Mainz 05Mainz7025619-132
18FC Koln6015411-71
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