Bundesliga: Hoffenheim and Stuttgart in a Top Four Tussle

TSG Hoffenheim vs VfB Stuttgart

Fifth hosts fourth in the Bundesliga clash of the weekend on Saturday when Bundesliga: Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart is the entertainment on offer at the PreZero Arena.

With three games to play the two teams are locked on 57 points in the Bundesliga table, with VfB ahead on goal difference and they are in a four-way battle for two available top four slots. Bayern Munich won the title two weeks ago, passing their final test against VfB Stuttgart with a 4-2 win, and since then it has all been about who finishes in the Champions League places.

Borussia Dortmund have claimed their spot, with a ten-point cushion and nine to play for while Red Bull Leipzig are close, five points ahead of TSG and VfB. The PreZero clash is a huge six-pointer, and with Bayer Leverkusen lurking, just two points behind in sixth, three points for either Hoffenheim or Stuttgart would give them a big advantage with two games to play.  

Christian Ilzer’s Hoffenheim finished 15th last term and they have climbed back among the elite in impressive style, while Sebastian Hoeness’ Stuttgart are back in the higher echelons again, after a disappointing ninth finish last term. And VfB have a DFB Pokal final against Bayern Munich to look forward to.  

Hoffenheim come into the game with back-to-back victories, winning 2-1 in Hamburg last week, while Stuttgart drew 1-1 at home to Werder Bremen, and Hoeness will do all he can to ensure his team is still in the top four on Saturday night. The pre-match Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart betting odds say we’re in for a tight game so let’s look at the players who can turn the tide in their team’s favour.    

 

Talking Points

Coufal has become a TSG superstar

TSG have reignited their top four push with wins overHamburg andBorussia Dortmund, and that represents a great response to losses to FSV Mainz and Red Bull Leipzig. Ilzer’s team has been good value this term, entertaining to watch and picking up some impressive results along the way. Midfielder Andrej Kramaric was the match-winner against Dortmund with a brace of penalties, the second a 98^th minute winner. Those goals took Kramaric to 12 for the season while the club’s top assist makers are 20 year old Ivorian winger Bazoumana Toure who has eight assists, scoring three goals and right back Vladimir Coufal who has made eight assists.

The former West Ham United star, now 33, is as good as ever and, last weekend, he worked wonders to keep the ball in play before crossing superbly for Fisnik Asllani to slide home. Coufal is a class act, with 61 caps for the Czech Republic, as an energetic player, with superb defensive skills and a willingness to join the attack. He’s never afraid to get involved when the going gets tough and that has made him a fans favourite throughout his career.          

 

Stuttgart’s Undav chases a record

Another former Premier League player to be wowing the Bundesliga this term is former Brighton and Hove Albion forward Denis Undav. He didn’t have the best of times in Brighton, but the Germany star has certainly settled in Stuttgart where he has scored 24 goals in all competitions this season and has made 13 assists. He needs five more goal involvements over the next four games to surpass the all-time club record of Mario Gomez, who made 41 goal contributions in one season in 2009, before the striker made a move to Bayern Munich at a then record fee of 30k Euros.

Stuttgart have today prepared a contract extension for Undav, who has played his way into Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany World Cup plans. And he’ll be a key player for VfB over the next few weeks.         

After winning their DFB Pokal semi-final tie against SC Freiburg,  Stuttgart’s clash with Werder Bremen last week was a frustrating match for VfB fans to watch. Against a team which is not yet mathematically out of the relegation fight, to trail at half time and have to settle for a point was disappointing. After Ermedin Demirovic levelled on the hour VfB went for the winner but in their 1,000^th home Bundesliga game they fell just short.   

Undav will be keen to help his team get back to winning ways on Sunday and, under Hoeness VfB have been successful on the road, winning ten of their last 20 away games, and winning two, drawing two and losing two of the last six.  

 

History

VfB are leading the head-to-head Hoffenheim vs Stuttgart results by 13 wins to eight and there have been 12 draws over the past 33 encounters. The scores are level at the PreZero Arena with five victories each and six draws. The last three meetings have all ended in a draw with the two teams playing out a goalless stalemate in Stuttgart in December.   

Stuttgart have won three, drawn one and lost two of their last six games while Hoffenheim have won two, lost two and drawn two of their last six.    

 

Betting Tip

TSG are at SBOTOP odds of 2.25 to win this clash with Stuttgart at 2.70, and I think the two teams might just cancel each other out again, and that may suit the visitors more than their hosts.

But I think we’ll see plenty of goalmouth action and, for an alternative bet, Over 3.50 goals is priced at 1.95 while over 1.50 goals by half time is 2.00. and for a long shot score line I’d go for a 2-2 Draw at 9.45.

   

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