Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim

Allianz Arena forms the backdrop for an exciting Bundesliga match-up between title holders Bayern Munich and European hopefuls TSG Hoffenheim.

Coming into the second half of the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign in deep mourning following the death of club icon Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern Munich will be out to pay tribute to one of the world’s best-ever footballers. As the only Bundesliga side to have won their last five home outings, Thomas Tuchel’s men head into proceedings confident of strengthening their impressive H2H home record against Hoffenheim (W11, D3, L1). Nothing less would do for the perennial German champions, whose tally of 38 points makes them the best second-placed team after 16 matchdays in Bundesliga history. With table-topping Bayer Leverkusen four points away, Bayern must build on back-to-back league wins toward the end of 2023 to stay within striking distance despite having a game in hand.

On the other hand, Hoffenheim must have been relieved to see the Bundesliga campaign halts for the winter break after a two-match winless league streak at the tail-end of 2023 (D1, L1) demoted them to seventh. Level on points with sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, the visitors bid to upset the apple cart in Munich, where they held Bayern to a 1-1 draw last term. But after commencing the new campaign with an eye-catching six consecutive wins on hostile turf, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s men went winless on four straight travels toward the end of 2023 (D1, L3), averaging just 0.75 goals per game. With that in mind, despite winning the most away games (5) and the most points on the road (16) at this point of a top-flight campaign, Hoffenheim can’t afford to rest on their laurels.