Hoffenheim vs. Union Berlin preview: Matarazzo under serious pressure
Lowly Union face a reeling Hoffenheim side, who could reportedly lose their manager if they do not get a result on Matchday 22.
Hoffenheim
TSG haven’t won a match this calendar year and have only claimed all three points once in their last 12 league matches. After starting the season with four wins in five games, it’s been a disaster for Pellegrino Matarazzo, who will likely be without a job if they suffer defeat on Saturday.
Hoffenheim haven’t found any trouble scoring, but their problem has been a defense which has allowed the 3rd-most goals in league play. Ozan Kabak and Stanley Nsoki are expected to continue in the back against Union alongside John Brooks, who will likely replace an injured Florian Grillitsch.
In his presser, Matarazzo said, "I feel pressure in every match. I am aware of the situation, but it is not productive to feel the pressure in the day-to-day business. It is about the balance between feeling the strain and alleviating it."
Team News
Grillitsch and Marius Bülter are questionable, while Dennis Geiger will be back in the squad. Mergim Berisha and Marco John remain out with long-term injuries.
Union Berlin
The capital club narrowly defeated Wolfsburg last week in a massive win and moved nine points clear of the bottom two. Credit must be given to their defense, who’ve allowed only four goals over six games in 2024.
After the Kevin Behrens derby last week, Matchday 22 is a return home for Kevin Vogt, who only moved from TSG to Union a month ago. Die Eisernen need a result this weekend with a brutal schedule coming up, as their next six matches are all against teams in the top 10 of the table.
Nenad Bjelica commented, “The expectations are very high. We are playing against a playfully variable team that plays football very well offensively. Hoffenheim want to win a game again.”
Team News
Vogt, Christopher Trimmel, Josip Juranovic and Janik Haberer are all expected to return to the team. There are no current first-team players on the injury report.