Match Information
Match Overview
Matchday 9 of the Bundesliga season brings 1899 Hoffenheim and FC Schalke 04 together at the SNP Arena on November 8, with the hosts sitting 11th and the visitors 16th. At this early stage the table is still taking shape, but Schalke's position makes the fixture one with genuine weight for the club's start to the campaign.
The sharpest contrast between the sides lies in recent form. Hoffenheim won two of their last three Bundesliga matches before a defeat at Werder Bremen: a 2-1 victory at Borussia Mönchengladbach on October 18 and a 3-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen on October 25. They also beat Lyon 3-0 at home in the UEFA Europa League on October 22. Schalke, by contrast, have lost four of their last five matches in all competitions across the data provided, with a 0-0 draw at 1. FC Köln on October 24 the only point gained in their last four league games. Their league record in that window reads one draw and three defeats, with just one goal scored in four matches, that coming in the 2-1 loss at SC Freiburg on October 11.
Schedule context is also worth noting. Both teams played in the DFB Pokal Round of 32 on October 28, Hoffenheim drawing 1-1 at Holstein Kiel and Schalke losing 2-0 at Dynamo Dresden, before returning to league action on October 31. Both sides therefore come into this fixture having played midweek cup football in the recent run, though the data does not show whether Hoffenheim's tie has been decided.
Neither club has reported unavailable players, so both managers, C. Ilzer for Hoffenheim and M. Muslić for Schalke, appear to have full squads to choose from. That includes Hoffenheim's established forward options and Schalke's attacking group featuring Hwang Hee-Chan and Edin Džeko.
The head-to-head record also leans toward the hosts, who won seven of the last ten meetings in the data provided. Hoffenheim carry the stronger recent form into the match, while Schalke will look to end a run of defeats and find their first league goals in some time.
Predicted Lineups
1899 Hoffenheim
Baumann; Kabak, Machida, Rots; Natnael Abraha, Avdullahu, Burger, Daghim, Kramarić; Hložek, Asllani
FC Schalke 04
Karius; T. Becker, Katić, Kuruçay, Vitalie Becker; Tanaka, Ayhan, Aouchiche; Adamu, Karaman; Hwang Hee-Chan
Team Form Analysis
1899 Hoffenheim
League Position: 111899 Hoffenheim Form Analysis
Hoffenheim's last five matches in all competitions produced two wins, one draw, one defeat in the league and a mixed bag across competitions. Their most recent outing was a 2-0 Bundesliga loss at Werder Bremen on October 31, a result that interrupted a promising run.
Before that, the attacking output was impressive. Hoffenheim scored three goals in each of their home wins over Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on October 25 and Lyon in the UEFA Europa League on October 22, keeping clean sheets in both. They also won 2-1 away at Borussia Mönchengladbach on October 18. In total they scored nine goals across their four matches before the Bremen defeat, and conceded just two in that spell, which includes the 1-1 DFB Pokal draw at Holstein Kiel on October 28.
The quality of opposition has been notable, with Leverkusen and Lyon both beaten without conceding. The defensive record is the standout feature, with three clean sheets in the last five matches. The Bremen loss shows the team can be stifled, however, and the home side will want to restore their scoring rhythm at the SNP Arena.
FC Schalke 04
League Position: 16FC Schalke 04 Form Analysis
Schalke arrive in poor form, having lost four of their last five matches in all competitions. Their latest result was a 2-0 home defeat to RB Leipzig on October 31, following a 2-0 loss at Dynamo Dresden in the DFB Pokal Round of 32 on October 28.
The attacking numbers are the primary concern. Across their last five matches Schalke have scored just one goal, in the 2-1 defeat at SC Freiburg on October 11. They failed to score against Mainz 05 on October 17 (a 1-0 home loss), 1. FC Köln on October 24 (0-0), Dresden and Leipzig. That is four consecutive matches without a goal.
Defensively, the picture is mixed. They kept a clean sheet in the goalless draw at Köln, but have conceded in every other game in the run, including two goals in each of the last two matches. In the league, Schalke have taken just one point from their last four matches, which helps explain their position in 16th place.
The opposition has included Leipzig, Mainz and Freiburg, so the run has not been without difficulty, but the lack of goals is the key issue to address.
Head-to-Head
1899 Hoffenheim
FC Schalke 04
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-09 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 2 - 0 | FC Schalke 04 |
| 2022-10-18 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 5 - 1 | FC Schalke 04 |
| 2022-10-14 | FC Schalke 04 | 0 - 3 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 2021-05-08 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 4 - 2 | FC Schalke 04 |
| 2021-01-09 | FC Schalke 04 | 4 - 0 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 2020-03-07 | FC Schalke 04 | 1 - 1 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 2019-10-20 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 2 - 0 | FC Schalke 04 |
| 2019-04-20 | FC Schalke 04 | 2 - 5 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 2018-12-01 | 1899 Hoffenheim | 1 - 1 | FC Schalke 04 |
| 2018-02-17 | FC Schalke 04 | 2 - 1 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
Memorable Matches
The recent meetings between these sides have favored Hoffenheim, who won seven of the last ten encounters in the data. One of the most eye-catching results came on October 18, 2022, when Hoffenheim won 5-1 at home, just days after a 3-0 victory at Schalke on October 14, 2022 — a pair of one-sided results in the same week.
Another high-scoring affair took place on April 20, 2019, when Hoffenheim won 5-2 away at Schalke. Schalke have had their moments too, most notably a 4-0 home win over Hoffenheim on January 9, 2021, though Hoffenheim answered with a 4-2 home victory on May 8, 2021. The most recent meeting, on April 9, 2023, ended 2-0 to Hoffenheim, who have won the last three clashes.
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Injury Concerns
1899 Hoffenheim
FC Schalke 04
