We’re beginning to get towards the business end of the season in the Bundesliga and it’s a surprise to see that Bayern Munich aren’t top of the league. Although, they can gain some ground on Dortmund in their match against Hoffenheim on Friday evening.

STATS

• Hoffenheim fans will be satisfied with how their team have got on so far this season but will know they can achieve a lot more as they sit 7^th in the table. They have actually drawn each of their last six league matches, a run which has extended their unbeaten run in the competition to 10 matches.
• Bayern will be disappointed not to be top, as they usually are, but there are still just six points separating them and Dortmund. With maximum points from their last five games, they are making it impossible for the league leaders to drop any themselves. Bayern brushed aside Eintracht Frankfurt last time out, beating them 3-0 away from home.
• Andrej Kramaric and Reiss Nelson have both impressed this term and with six goals each, they are Hoffenheim’s leading scorers in the league.
• Robert Lewandowski would often be leading the Golden Boot race at this stage of the campaign but with 10 goals, there are four players with more in the Bundesliga.

HEAD TO HEAD

Recent meetings between these sides aren’t anywhere near as one-sided as many would think. In the last five, both sides have won two each with the other ending as a draw. Bayern haven’t won away at Hoffenheim since 2015 and have lost on both of their last two visits there. However, the Bavarians won the most recent when they met at the start of the season, finishing 3-1 winners.

HOFFENHEIM NEWS

A win for Hoffenheim would take them 5^th in the table ahead of the weekend’s fixtures and they have a few players coming back from injury as Ermin Bicakcic, Havard Nordtveit and Kerem Demirbay have all returned to training recently.

Latest matches: 1899 Hoffenheim

11.01.2019	Club	1899 Hoffenheim	St. Truidense VV	5:2	W
23.12.2018	Bund	1899 Hoffenheim	1 FSV Mainz 05	1:1	D
19.12.2018	Bund	Werder Bremen	1899 Hoffenheim	1:1	D
15.12.2018	Bund	1899 Hoffenheim	Monchengladbach	0:0	D
12.12.2018	UEFA	Manchester City	1899 Hoffenheim	2:1	L

BAYERN MUNICH NEWS

An away win would leave just a three-point gap at the top of the Bundesliga ahead of Dortmund’s meeting with RB Leipzig on Saturday afternoon. The champions will be without Corentin Tolisso, Franck Ribery and Renato Sanches for definite while Mats Hummels and Arjen Robben are both major doubts.

Latest matches: Bayern Munich

13.01.2019	Tele	Fortuna Dusseldorf	Bayern Munich	7:8	W
22.12.2018	Bund	Eintracht Frankfurt	Bayern Munich	0:3	W
19.12.2018	Bund	Bayern Munich	RB Leipzig	1:0	W
15.12.2018	Bund	Hannover 96	Bayern Munich	0:4	W
12.12.2018	UEFA	Ajax Amsterdam	Bayern Munich	3:3	D

SUMMARY

It certainly won’t be plain sailing for Bayern Munich on Friday night even though they’re in top form. With Hoffenheim’s unbeaten run and good record at home against the giants, backing the draw provides fantastic value. Both teams will be focused on attacking therefore both teams to score and over 2.5 goals also looks very likely.