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The German Bundesliga returns with a fresh set of fixtures as Bayer Leverkusen play host to Hoffenheim at the BayArena Stadium on Wednesday.
With both sides separated by just one point and one place in the upper echelons of the table, this game has all the makings of an absorbing contest.
Bayer Leverkusen failed to return to winning ways as they fell to a humbling 5-2 defeat at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt at the Commerzbank Arena last Sunday.
This followed a slender 1-0 loss at the hands of Ferencvárosi TC in their Europa League group finale which saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.
With 27 points from 15 outings, Bayer Leverkusen are currently third in the Bundesliga table, one point and one place above Wednesday’s visitors.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim maintained their sensational run of results as they claimed a hard-earned 2-1 win at Freiburg last time out.
Sebastian Hoeneß’s side have now won each of their last four games on the spin, scoring 13 goals and conceding six in that time.
While they will be looking to keep the juggernaut rolling, next up is an opposing side who they failed to defeat in both home and away fixtures last season.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Head-To-Head
Bayer Leverkusen boasts the clear upper hand in the history of this fixture, claiming 15 wins from the previous 27 meetings between the teams.
Hoffenheim have picked up seven wins in that time, while five games have ended all square.
Bayer Leverkusen Form Guide: W-W-W-L-L
Hoffenheim Form Guide: L-W-W-W-W
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Team News
Bayer Leverkusen
The hosts head into the game without the services of Mitchel Bakker, Julian Baumgartlinger and Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who have been sidelined through injuries.
Injured: Mitchel Bakker, Julian Baumgartlinger, Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Suspended: None
Hoffenheim
The visitors remain without the services of Robert Skov, Ermin Bicakcic, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Marco John, who are all recuperating from injuries. Florian Grillitsch is out with an illness and will miss the game.
Injured: Robert Skov, Ermin Bicakcic, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Marco John
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Florian Grillitsch
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Predicted XI
Bayer Leverkusen Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Lukas Hradecky; Piero Hincapie, Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, Odilon Kossounou; Exequiel Palacios, Robert Andrich; Amine Adli, Florian Wirtz, Moussa Diaby; Patrik Schick
Hoffenheim Predicted XI (3-4-3): Oliver Baumann; Chris Richards, Kevin Vogt, Stefan Posch; David Raum, Diadie Samassekou, Dennis Geiger, Kevin Akpoguma; Georginio Rutter, Munas Dabbur, Ihlas Bebou
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Prediction
Hoffenheim head into the game in resurgent form and will be looking to leapfrog the hosts in the Bundesliga table. Bayer Leverkusen have struggled to get going at times on home turf this season and we are backing the visitors to come out on top.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 Hoffenheim
