Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Prediction & Betting Tips

Bayer Leverkusen host Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, as they look to maintain or extend their healthy advantage at the top of the league table.

Date: 30/03/24

Kick-off time: 14:30

Venue: BayArena

It is now nearing the end of March, and Bayer Leverkusen are still yet to lose a game in any competition. Their invincible run so far has them at the top, 10 points clear of Bayern Munich and well on their way to their first ever league title. However, there are eight games remaining, so it is far from over. A victory could see them keep their large gap, but also extend it further should Bayern drop points against Borussia Dortmund.

Their opponents Hoffenheim are in eighth and hanging on by a thread in the race for European football. Sixth offers Europa Conference League qualification, but they are seven points behind Eintracht Frankfurt who currently occupy the spot. This is a must win for the visitors if they want to keep these hopes alive.

Xabi Alonso’s side will be confident in adding to their 66 goals so far this season, as they are up against a team who hasn’t kept a clean sheet since September. Alex Grimaldo has scored nine and assisted 12, so will be a huge threat. Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong will expect to contribute as well.

In five meetings, Leverkusen have got the better of their opponents, winning three to Hoffenheim’s one. There have been plenty of goals in this fixture, with the victorious side netting at least three goals in the last four. The reverse fixture earlier this season ended in Leverkusen’s favour, as they won 3-2. Goals from Florian Wirtz and Grimaldo gave them a two goal lead at half-time, but they were pegged back by Wout Weghorst and Anton Stach. Grimaldo scored the winner in the 70th minute.

Bayer Leverkusen

Striker Victor Boniface has been out of action for three months with an adductor injury but is progressing well with a possible return not ruled out for next month. Young right-back Arthur is still recovering from a long-term thigh injury. Jonas Hoffman and Exequiel Palacios are absent with hip injuries.

Hoffenheim

John Brooks is serving the second of a two-game suspension following a red card. Dennis Geiger and Grischa Promel have both missed recent games but are expected back soon.

Bayer Leverkusen

In their last five games, Bayer Leverkusen have won four and drawn one. Leverkusen’s unbeaten season goes on, though it came dangerously close to ending on a couple of occasions. They faced Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the Last 16 of the Europa League, a tie they won 5-4 on aggregate to advance. In the first leg, they drew 2-2, though they were lucky to go back home on level terms. The hosts were 2-0 up at half-time, shocking their opponents. Florian Wirtz pulled one back with 20 minutes to go, but the equaliser did not come until stoppage time, as Patrik Schick found the back of the net. The return leg was a lot more precarious and needed two stoppage time goals for them to progress. Once again, Qarabag took a two-goal lead, even with a man sent off. Jeremie Frimpong halved the deficit as the game followed a similar pattern to the first. Schick again equalised late on, and with the tie heading for extra-time, the Czech striker stepped up to score a 97th minute winner.

Between these two legs was a much more comfortable 2-0 win against Wolfsburg. The visitors were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half, and Leverkusen took advantage with a Nathan Tella goal to take a half-time lead. Wirtz doubled the lead late on. This followed another 2-0 victory, this time away at Koln. They again played the majority of the game against 10, with their goals coming from Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo.

Their most recent outing was a trip to Freiberg, which ended 3-2 in Leverkusen’s favour. Wirtz broke the deadlock in the second minute, though this was cancelled out in the 10th. Adam Hlozek and Schick opened up a two-goal cushion, before the hosts scored a consolation.

Hoffenheim

In their last five games, Hoffenheim have won two and lost three. They have picked up some big results in this stretch, but have suffered from damaging losses. The latest of those was a 3-0 home defeat to Stuttgart. They got off to a bad start when Enzo Millot opened the scoring after 16 minutes. Another goal on the stroke of half-time gave them a tough deficit to overturn. A third put the game to bed halfway through the second.

It was a second loss in a row as they fell 3-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt. They went ahead through an early John Brooks goal, but the scorer quickly went from hero to zero as he got himself sent off shortly after. Frankfurt made use of their extra man, with Robin Koch levelling the score just after the half hour mark. Erik Junior Dina Ebimbe and Mario Gotze scored in the second half to secure the win.

This followed their last victory, which was a 2-1 win against Werder Bremen. Maximilian Beier scored a brace before half-time to give his side a comfortable lead. The hosts were reduced to 10 men, but Bremen could not take advantage, only managing to pull one back in stoppage time. This made it two wins in a row after an impressive 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund. They went 1-0 up after two minutes through Ihlas Bebou, but the hosts came back to take the lead before half-time with goals from Donyell Malen and Nico Schlotterbeck. However, two goals in three second half minutes from Beier sent Hoffenheim home with three points.

The run began with a 1-0 home defeat against Union Berlin. Both teams had a man sent off in first half stoppage time as Stanley Nsoki and Kevin Volland saw red. The game seemed to be headed for a stalemate, but up stepped Brenden Aaronson to snatch three points for the away side with six minutes to go.

Bayer Leverkusen are rolling and we expect this to continue coming out of the international break. They are yet to lose this season and that streak doesn’t seem like ending anytime soon. Hoffenheim have lost three of the last five and they will struggle once more, especially away from home – Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Hoffenheim

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Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim will not be available to watch on TV in the UK.

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