Preview: Greuther Furth vs. Hoffenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

Greuther Furth will continue their pursuit of a maiden Bundesliga win this season when they host Hoffenheim at the Trolli-Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Winless in all 12 of their league games so far, with just the one point to their name, an immediate return to the second tier looks likely for a struggling Greuther Furth.

Match preview

© Reuters

By the time that they take to the field, it will be 98 days since Greuther Furth last earned a Bundesliga point, with a 1-1 draw in their second game of the season against Arminia Bielefeld still the last time that they avoided defeat.

A run of 10 losses have followed, subsequently seeing Greuther Furth plummet to the bottom of the Bundesliga table, with relegation looking likely for the Cloverleaves.

Humbled 4-0 by Borussia Monchengladbach last time out, the defeat represented the seventh time this season that Greuther Furth have conceded three or more goals.

Last in the first tier eight years ago, Greuther Furth have been notorious strugglers during their Bundesliga spells, with the Cloverleaves only registering two victories across their past 25 top-flight games.

While their form has been horrific for the most part this season, Greuther Furth do boast a positive record in previous meetings with Saturday's opposition.

Unbeaten in three of their past four competitive matches against Hoffenheim, including a 1-0 triumph away at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena in February 2012.

As for home victories against Hoffenheim, Greuther Furth are yet to take three points on their own turf, with Saturday's clash a chance to make history.

Hoffenheim's away form this season suggests that Greuther Furth have a chance, as Die Kraichgauer have won just once on the road so far.

Four defeats in their six away matches has tormented Hoffenheim's otherwise strong start to the season, with Sebastian Hoeness's men having taken 12 points from a possible 18 at home.

Toppling RB Leipzig last weekend represented a statement victory for Hoeness, who will now be looking to register back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Team News

Greuther Furth have struggled this season, but they have not been helped by some terrible luck with injuries and six first-team players will likely be missing this weekend.

A pair of Greuther Furth players are set to miss the majority of the campaign, as both Robin Kehr and Jessic Ngankam are currently recovering from ACL injuries.

While not likely to be as serious, Gideon Jung, Justin Hoogma and Nick Viergever are all likely to be out until mid-December at least.

Gian-Luca Itter is unlikely to feature for Greuther Furth, as the full-back is currently recovering after testing positive for Covid-19.

Much of Greuther Furth's remaining hopes this season will lay on the shoulders of Branimir Hrgota, with the Cloverleaves captain having netted three of their eight goals so far.

In similar fashion to their opponents this weekend, Hoffenheim have an extended injury list too, with eight regulars expected to be absent for the Greuther Furth clash.

The good news for Hoeness is that many of those absentees are expected to return throughout December, with Christoph Baumgartner, Sebastian Rudy, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Pavel Kaderabek and Marco John in the latter stages of rehabilitation.

Both Robert Skov and Ermin Bicakcic will have to wait a little longer to make a return, with the pair also unavailable for the hosts.

Hoffenheim's chances of victory could be boosted should Andrej Kramaric feature, with the Croatian international missing for the RB Leipzig victory.

Kramaric has been involved in eight goals for the visitors this season, making him a crucial component of the Hoffenheim attack.

Greuther Furth possible starting lineup:
Funk; Meyerhofer, Sarpei, Griesbeck, Willems; Seguin, Christiansen; Leweling, Green, Hrgota; Nielsen

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Posch, Grillitsch, Vogt; Akpoguma, Samassekou, Geiger, Raum; Bebou, Dabour, Rutter

We say: Greuther Furth 1-3 Hoffenheim

There were few expectations for Greuther Furth at the start of the season, yet not even their biggest critics could have predicted their troubles.

Unlikely to end their 12-match winless streak this weekend, expect a comfortable Hoffenheim victory as they look to pick up their fortunes on the road.

Previews by email