Borussia Dortmund heads to the Kraichgau region for a fascinating Bundesliga clash, where two of the league's most dangerous teams from wide areas are set to collide. The stage is set at the PreZero Arena, where both Hoffenheim and Dortmund will be desperate for a result to solidify their European ambitions.
Hoffenheim's form has hit a rough patch, having gone four matches without a victory. A recent 2-2 draw in Augsburg saw them slip from third to sixth in the table, putting pressure on manager Pellegrino Matarazzo to find a winning formula. Their opponents, Borussia Dortmund, are also looking to bounce back after a rare offensive blank in a 1-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. That result ended a remarkable 36-game Bundesliga scoring streak for BVB and saw them cede second place to Bayern Munich.
Despite their recent struggles, Hoffenheim remains a formidable force at home, boasting eight wins in Sinsheim this season. However, Dortmund brings an impressive six-month unbeaten run on the road to this fixture, a streak featuring four wins and a draw. History heavily favors the visitors, who have won seven of the last nine league meetings and are on a run of five consecutive away victories at Hoffenheim's ground, a venue where they haven't failed to score since 2011.
The tactical battle promises to be thrilling, as this match is a true duel of the "crossing kings." The statistics are remarkably close: Hoffenheim (164) and Dortmund (161) have taken a nearly identical number of corner kicks. Dortmund leads the league with ten goals from corners, while Hoffenheim just scored from one for only the second time this season last matchday. From open-play crosses, BVB again tops the charts with 14 goals, with TSG not far behind in third with ten. Whichever team better executes their wide play could hold the key to victory.
In the reverse fixture at a packed Signal Iduna Park, goals from Julian Brandt and Nico Schlotterbeck secured a 2-1 win for Dortmund in a tense and physical encounter. Dortmund will be hoping for a repeat of their biggest away wins in the Kraichgau—3-1 victories in both 2012 and 2023—as they aim to leapfrog Bayern and reignite their title challenge.