Crystal Palace vs. TSG Hoffenheim preview: Team news and predicted lineups

TSG Hoffenheim face last season's Europa Conference League winners Crystal Palace in the fourth matchday of the Europa League. Christian Ilzer's side continued their inconsistent form when they lost to Werder Bremen on matchday 8 of Bundesliga, days after their exit from the cup by the hands of 2. Bundesliga strugglers Holstein Kiel.

In Europe, the Sinsheim club ended a two-game losing streak with a commanding victory over Lyon a fortnight ago. Hoffenheim are yet to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. They have also lost all five previous encounters with English clubs, with the most recent meeting ending in a 3-2 home defeat to eventual champions Tottenham Hotspur in the 2024/25 season.

Crystal Palace have never faced a German club in a competitive fixture, but Freiburg beat them 3-0 in the last pre-season game for both sides this summer. Oliver Glasner won the first three major trophies of the club, but his replacement Pierre Sage has a difficult start with their only league win at Selhurst Park coming against Glasner’s Nottingham Forest.

Team News

Vladimir Coufal was absent from Saturday's game due to a muscular injury, and he could also miss out on a return to England, where he played for West Ham for five seasons. Highly-rated youngsters Nathan De Cat and Bambase Conte and defenders Robin Hranac and Valentin Gendrey are all unavailable as well.

Illzer also has to do without Patrick Wimmer and Albian Hajdari since October's international break. Alexander Prass had to sit out the weekend's defeat in Bremen after his unnecessary red card against Leverkusen, but he's in a good form in front of goal like the all-time top-scorer Andrej Kramaric, who was involved in all three goals against Lyon.

Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off inside the first 15 minutes when Palace's losing streak extended to three games in the Premier League with a 2-0 defeat at rejuvenated Spurs. After grabbing his first goal of the season in the 2-2 draw at Besiktas on matchday 3, the former Mainz striker will hope to score in the Europa League once again, though.

Fellow former Bundesliga players Daichi Kamada and Chris Richards, who played for Hoffenheim in a couple of loan stints from FC Bayern, are also expected to make the starting lineup. The hosts could get a double boost as Jorgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber are hoping to pass late fitness tests.

Predicted Lineups

Palace: Benitez; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Mitchell, Wharton ©, Kamada, Chilwell; Pino, Nketiah; Mateta

Hoffenheim: Baumann ©; Abraha, Kabak, Machida, Rots; Avdullahu, Burger; Daghim, Kramaric, Prass; Asllani