TSG Hoffenheim 2025/26 season preview: Transfers, pre-season, predicted lineup & predictions | OneFootball

After barely escaping relegation last season, Hoffenheim and their fans are hoping for a much better 2025/26. But will their wish come true? Here is our preview for die Sinsheimer.

Hoffenheim finished last season in 15th place, just three points ahead of the relegation zone - their goal before the season was to compete for the European places! Where did it all go wrong for die TSG?

Many believe that Hoffenheim were struggling because of their participation in the UEFA Europa League last year. A new format including two more games than in the years before distracted Hoffenheim from their main goal: consistency in the Bundesliga.

After a horrendous start to the 2024/25 campaign (4 losses in the first 5 games), Hoffenheim struggled to find any kind of good run and sacked their manager Pellegrino Matarazzo in November.

They brought in Sturm Graz's Christian Ilzer as their new coach and had high hopes: Ilzer had just won the Austrian league and cup the season before! However, it took most experts by surprise, that Hoffenheim did not get any better with Ilzer in the dugout: his points-per-game ratio of 0.93 (29 games played) is the worst ratio of any Hoffenheim coach in history with more than ten games!

Die Sinsheimer ended the 2024/25 season with five winless games and on 32 points, leaving many expecting them to part ways with Ilzer - but they decided to stick with him and want to give him time and a full preperation, which begs the question: Is there any hope for him and Hoffenheim in 2025/26? Absolutely! - here is why.

Transfers:

At first glance, it looks like Hoffenheim took a big hit in this transfer period: they've lost their starboy Tom Bischof (basically) for free to Bayern Munich, long time servant Pavel Kadeřábek left the club to join his boyhood club Sparta Prague and they've also had to let Anton Stach go to Leeds.

But those are all the bad news for die TSG: they received a hefty €20 million check from Leeds for Stach, which they've re-invested in Leon Avdullahu (€8m) from Basel, Koki Machida (€4.75m) from Union Saint-Gilloise and Wouter Burger (€4m) from Stoke City - and they still have money left.

Avdullahu and Burger are well equipped to replace Stach in midfield, while Machida is a great addition for the defense. But that's not all: Hoffenheim were also able to secure the signatures of Bernardo (Bochum), Coufal (West Ham) and Lemperle (Köln) - all for free!

The arguably most important new players however, are not even new transfers: Hoffenheim were able to keep the duo of Muhammed Damar and Fisnik Asslani on board, after their stellar season on loan at Elversberg in the 2. Bundesliga!

Damar shined as a technical maestro and provided 9 goals and 3 assists throughout the season - Asslani crowned himself as the player with the most goal involvements in the 2. Bundesliga last season, with 18 goals and 8 assists!

Both were hard to keep, since interest in them, from other Bundesliga clubs especially, was extremly high - it was very important for Hoffenheim to keep those two youngsters in their squad.

Pre-season performances:

From a really bad 2024/25 season finish, to one of best possible pre-seasons: judging by last month, Hoffenheim can't wait for the Bundesliga to start!

Ilzer's team managed to have success in every kind of test: against local teams in the beginning (3-2 win vs. Freiberg, 11-0 win vs. Lauffen), against lower league teams (5-2 win vs. Elversberg, 4-0 win vs. Homburg, 5-1 win vs. Darmstadt), against direct Bundesliga competitors (1-0 and 3-0 wins vs. Werder Bremen) and even against international teams (8-0 win vs. Metz [Ligue 1])!

In summary: 8 games, 8 wins, 40 goals scored and 5 goals conceded - a brilliant start and a perfect first chapter of the new season for Hoffenheim.

It's difficult to really point out single players, since Hoffenheim's teamwork was really the biggest visible improvement to last season. The games against Darmstadt, Bremen and Metz showed a great understanding between players from defense to offense.

Damar and Asslani picked up where they left off at Elversberg and looked right at home in Hoffenheim's attacking department. Tim Lemperle also impressed when he was given the chance.

Meanwhile, Burger and Avdullahu were not only able to replace Stach, together they look like the ideal double pivot Hoffenheim were looking for!

In defense, Machida and Bernardo fit in seemlessly, while Chaves and Coufal provide stability and security. Not to forget: club legends Oliver Baumann and Andrej Kramarić, who can really look forward to another season together.

Predicted starting lineup:

3-4-1-2: Baumann - Chaves, Machida, Bernardo - Coufal, Burger, Avdullahu, Touré - Damar - Asslani, Kramarić

Christian Ilzer will definitely sick to a 3-back / 5-back formation for the start of the season - why change a winning system? Captain Baumann is the only player who is absolutely set to start every game, unless he's injured - you just don't leave Germany's starting goalkeeper (with ter Stegen being injured) on the bench.

Chaves, Machida and Bernardo seem to work well together, but Akpoguma and Drexler will also be in contention for the starting spots.

The midfield is looking set with Burger and Avdullahu in the center. There might be however, frequent rotations on the wings; Coufal will not be able to play all games and Prass is a great alternative to Touré on the left.

The biggest puzzle is the attacking department: there will most definitely be a variation of 3 players, sometimes two attacking midfielders and one striker, other times the other way around. Kramarić is likely to keep his position in the first team (unless he needs a rest) and the duo of Damar and Asslani just edge it due to their experience of playing together successfully for Elversberg.

Lemperle, Orban, Moerstedt, Berisha, Bebou, Mokwa, Zeitler and Hložek will all be waiting for their chance to impress - what a great luxury problem to have, right?

Predictions for the upcoming season:

The beginning of this article put the focus on Hoffenheim's problems and struggle last season, with competing in multiple competitions, which include long away-nights. Not playing internationally will give Hoffenheim exactly what they need: consistency in the Bundesliga.

They've assembled a better squad with more rotation options this year in comparison to last year - and this makes them hard to read for their competitors.

An amazing pre-season has finally provided optimism and hope in Sinsheim; now it's on them to “ride the wave” and use the momentum in order to have a great start to the season.

Hoffenheim go into the 2025/26 campaign with one of the youngest squads in the competition (24.9 years on average) - their hunger and overall youthful courage can carry them to much higher goals than just to avoid relegation - don't be surprised, if Ilzer proves his critics wrong by achieving Hoffenheim's goal of last season: being in contention for the European places.