Opposition Preview: Hoffenheim | OneFootball

Tomorrow evening, Tottenham Hotspur will face Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim on the road for match day seven of the Europa League, in what feels like an absolutely must win game, for a number of reasons.

Spurs currently sit in 9th place in the league phase standings, although a top eight finish is currently in their hands, given the sides sitting in 7th and 8th place — Manchester United and Rangers – will lock horns tomorrow night.

What we can expect from 1899 Hoffenheim tomorrow evening

It has been a difficult season for the German side, whom currently occupy 15th position in the Bundesliga, just one place above the relegation play-off spot. Forward Andrej Kramaric gave an outspoken interview after a 5-0 defeat at Bayern Munich last midweek.

When it comes to Europe, things aren’t much better. As it stands, they currently sit in 26th place in the league phase, not even in a play-off position. They have only mustered six points from their six games so far.

In terms of dangermen, the key player to look out for is midfielder Tom Bischof. The 19-year old is a true unicorn of a player. He is tenacious enough to average 3.9 tackles per game in the Bundesliga, .9 more than any other player — yet also technical enough to play on the wing, and score a free-kick against RB Leipzig earlier on this season.

Owing to his excellent performances, the midfielder has signed a four year pre-contract agreement with Bayern, where he will join in the summer. This shows you the pedigree of player that Spurs will be dealing with tomorrow.

Elsewhere, the aforementioned Kramaric has been a consistently top performer for a number of years now. The 33-year old is very versatile, having played as an eight, ten, left winger and striker, whilst always consistently producing top numbers.

Some fans will have noticed that the consistently linked to Spurs forward, Gift Orban, joined Hoffenheim earlier this month. Do not fear about the Spursiest thing ever happening, he cannot play. If this was a knockout stage game he could, but not here. Do not worry.

To conclude, Hoffenheim are not a great team. Their position in the Bundesliga and Europa League shows that. However, they aren’t much worse than Everton. They’re certainly a lot better than national league side Tamworth, and a draw after 90 minutes would not be a good result. So, who knows? Could be another chore here.