Matchday in focus: TSG Hoffenheim | OneFootball

This weekend’s opponents are a high-energy, high-pressing side with a Dutchman holding it all together in midfield.

Tactics

Christian Ilzer needed some time to get his ideas across after arriving at TSG Hoffenheim but they are now very much a team dancing to the 48-year-old’s tune. The coach, who is considered a meticulous worker and something of a perfectionist, demands a powerful, fast-paced style from his players. 

One key aspect of his approach is active man-on-man pressing, with the aim of putting the opposition under pressure as soon as possible in decisive areas. By doing so, Hoffenheim prevent teams from building up in a controlled manner, thereby forcing them to play long balls forward. Ilzer’s preferred formation to execute this style is an attacking 4-3-3. 

Absentees

Eintracht are without injured quintet Michy Batshuayi, Elias Baum, Jonathan Burkardt, Timothy Chandler and Younes Ebnoutalib.For Hoffenheim, meanwhile, Cole Campbell, Adam Hlozek and Koki Machida are all in the treatment room.

One to watch: Wouter Burger

Burger joined Hoffenheim at the start of this season and quickly established himself as a first-team regular. The Dutch left-footer has started 16 of the team’s 17 Bundesliga games so far this term, only missing out once due to injury, 

A product of the Feyenoord youth academy, Burger gained plenty of experience in the Eredivisie as a youngster thanks to vital loan spells at Excelsior and Sparta Rotterdam. That was followed by moves to FC Basel and Stoke City before he arrived in the Bundesliga last year. 

The 24-year-old enjoys getting forward and has eight direct goal contributions in Germany’s top flight in 2025/26, with four scored – including a direct free-kick against Bayer Leverkusen – and four assists. As such, he carries a greater goal threat than any other defensive midfielder in the Bundesliga this season.

Furthermore …

Reunion

Eintracht trio Robin Koch, Nnamdi Collins and Nathaniel Brown are colleagues of Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in the German national team. 

Sporting director Timmo Hardung previously worked for Hoffenheim. 

Ansgar Knauff and Brown played alongside Tim Lemperle in Germany’s U21s. Lemperle and Ellyes Skhiri also used to line up together for 1. FC Köln.

Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab swapped Hoffenheim for Frankfurt earlier this month.