Bayern München vs Hoffenheim preview: Bayern look to retain gap | OneFootball

Bayern München

The league leaders secured a 1-0 win away against Borussia Mönchengladbach on their return after the winter break, securing their first clean sheet in seven matches across all competitions.

The encounter at Borussia Park itself was not the prettiest, nor was it the most entertaining, however, three points on the road got Wednesday's hosts off to the perfect start as the second half of the campaign approaches.

Bayern have won twelve Bundesliga matches this season, drawing three and losing just one against Mainz. They also carry a formidable home record, winning 13 of their last 16, with the only loss in this period being a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal.

With 48 goals scored and just 13 conceded, it is clear to see why higher-ups at the club are happy with Vincent Kompany since his summer arrival.

With struggling Hoffenheim visiting Allianz Arena, die Rekordmeister will smell blood on their quest to regain the title snatched out of their grasp by Bayer Leverkusen last campaign.

Team News

Bayern are currently without multiple defensive figures, with summer signing Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, Tarek Buchmann and Sacha Boey all being unavailable. Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is also absent after sustaining a bruised kidney in training.

Kompany is expected to deploy a similar defensive lineup to the one used against Gladbach, shielding Manuel Neuer in goal. However, Dayot Upamecano could replace Eric Dier in the starting XI.

Joao Palhinha is edging closer to a return but remains sidelined with a groin injury. This likely means Joshua Kimmich will likely pair with Leon Goretzka in a double-pivot midfield setup.

Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim's struggles in the current campaign are showing no signs of ending, with Christian Ilzer's side falling to defeat at the hands of Wolfsburg at the weekend.

Huge concerns continue to make the headlines regarding the fact that neither results nor performances have undergone improvement since Ilzer replaced Pellegrino Matarazzo in November.

Alongside failing to score in five of their last eight. Hoffenheim are winless on the road in the Bundesliga. The club's only away win of the campaign came via a penalty shootout against Wurzburger Kickers in a DFB-Pokal fixture back in August.

Hoffenheim sit a point ahead of Heidenheim who currently occupy the relegation playoff position, and with a trip to Holstein Kiel sandwiched between matches against Bayern, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bayer Leverkusen, Saturday's trip to fellow strugglers Kiel is made even more crucial.

Team News

Hoffenheim's injury woes have eased slightly, though they are still without central defenders Christopher Lenz and Ozan Kabak, paving the way for Arthur Chaves and Stanley N'Soki to feature in central defence.

In midfield, Grischa Prömel and Umut Tohumcu are unavailable, which makes Anton Stach the probable partner for Diadie Samassekou.

The attack is also affected, with Ihlas Bebou and Marius Bülter ruled out. As a result, Tom Bischof, Adam Hložek, and Andrej Kramarić are expected to provide attacking support for striker Gift Orban.