Wolfsburg vs Hoffenheim: Bundesliga Preview

While Wolfsburg sit comfortably in 12th place with 39 points, safe from both relegation worries and European qualification hopes, Hoffenheim’s situation is far more precarious. Currently 15th with 31 points, they remain just above the drop zone and require two more points to guarantee safety. Their recent 4-4 thriller against Borussia Mönchengladbach typified their season: spirited in attack but frail at the back. Despite coming from behind twice and briefly taking a 4-3 lead, Hoffenheim were left frustrated by a stoppage-time equaliser.

For Wolfsburg, last weekend's heavy 4-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund put the final nail in their faint European ambitions, with Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side now 11 points adrift of the top six with only two games left. The Wolves have struggled to find form in recent months, failing to win any of their last eight league matches (D2 L6) and losing six of those. Alarmingly, they have been unable to keep a clean sheet in their past 12 games and have failed to score in five of their last eight. Their home form is equally concerning, with three straight losses and three consecutive draws preceding those at the Volkswagen Arena.

Hoffenheim may take some encouragement from Wolfsburg’s poor run, but their own away record provides little comfort. Christian Ilzer’s men have failed to win in their last four Bundesliga away matches, losing three and drawing one. Still, they have at least found their scoring touch lately, netting 10 goals across their last four games—an improvement on their previous nine matches, where they scored just nine times.

In the head-to-head stakes, Wolfsburg have had the upper hand this season, winning both meetings so far. A convincing 3-0 victory in the DFB-Pokal in December was followed by a narrow 1-0 league win in January. Hoffenheim will be desperate to break that streak as they seek to avoid slipping closer to the relegation trapdoor.

In terms of team news, Wolfsburg are without suspended midfielder Maximilian Arnold, while Mattias Svanberg remains sidelined. This opens the door for Lovro Majer, Aster Vranckx, and Yannick Gerhardt to feature in midfield. The backline is stretched, with Kevin Paredes, Rogerio, and Sebastiaan Bornauw all unavailable, meaning Mads Roerslev, David Odogu, Konstantinos Koulierakis, and Joakim Maehle are expected to make up the defence. Jonas Wind should continue to lead the line, supported by Jakub Kaminski and Mohamed El Amine Amoura.

Hoffenheim’s injury list is also lengthy. Defenders Christopher Lenz, Ozan Kabak, and Valentin Gendrey are all out, with Arthur Chaves, Leo Østigård, and Stanley N’Soki likely to form the back three. In midfield, Anton Stach and Tom Bischof are expected to start in the absence of Diadie Samassekou and Grischa Prömel. Up front, Ihlas Bebou remains sidelined with a muscle issue, so the attacking trio is set to feature Marius Bülter, Andrej Kramarić, and Adam Hložek.

With contrasting ambitions—Wolfsburg playing for pride and Hoffenheim fighting for their Bundesliga lives—Friday’s match promises plenty of tension and potentially decisive moments as the season draws to a close.