Bayer Leverkusen are looking to get back on track when they face Hoffenheim this weekend.
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Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen odds
Find the latest match odds for Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed online football bookies. Odds are subject to change.
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Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions
Bayer Leverkusen experienced an unfamiliar feeling immediately prior to the recent international break.
For the first time in 462 days, Xabi Alonso’s side lost a domestic match as they went down 3-2 to RB Leipzig in a pulsating encounter at the BayArena.
Leverkusen rightly reflected with pride on their extraordinary achievement, which added up to 43 games without defeat across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup.
Leverkusen were always going to lose at some point, but Alonso must have been frustrated to see his team throw away a 2-0 lead in front of their own fans.
Still, RB Leipzig are strong opponents and, on another day, Leverkusen could easily have emerged victorious. We are still early in the season too, and it would be foolish for anyone to write the champions off on the back of one adverse result.
It is important that Leverkusen bounce back as quickly as possible, though. They never had to respond to a defeat last season, so we do not know what their response will be like this time.
Another disappointing result here would be damaging, not just to Leverkusen’s own self-belief but also to the aura they have built up over the last 12 months.
There has been a sense of destiny around the team for a while, as evidenced by the numerous times in which they scored late winners or equalisers in dramatic fashion. On occasion it felt like their opponents truly believed they would not be able to beat Leverkusen.
A healthy victory over Hoffenheim would help to restore that sense of power, even if Leipzig showed that Alonso’s men are no longer invincible.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s men kicked off the campaign with a 3-2 victory over Holstein Kiel, before going down 3-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt last time out. Unsurprisingly, Leverkusen are strong favourites with the bookies to pick up all three points.
Regardless of the outcome at the PreZero Arena, Leverkusen are capable of winning the title for a second season in a row. However, a second consecutive loss would lead to deeper questions over whether we may have seen the best of Alonso’s side already.
Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen betting tips
The Bundesliga returns with Bayer Leverkusen heading to Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon.
Bayer Leverkusen to win and BTTS – 11/8 (Betfred)
Hofffenheim finished seventh last season when they were powered by one of the most productive attacks in the Bundesliga.
Only the top five of Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund scored more goals than Hoffenheim.
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The problem for Matarazzo’s charges was that they struggled to keep the ball out of the net at the other end. They scored 66 goals and conceded the exact same amount, with only three teams in the division boasting worse defensive numbers.
Hoffenheim are the underdogs in this match but they will nevertheless attempt to fight fire with fire.
Unfortunately, that sort of approach would simply play into Leverkusen’s hands. This fixture last term finished 3-2 to the visitors and we can imagine a similar outcome on Saturday.
⚽ Back Bayer Leverkusen to win and both teams to score at 11/8 with Betfred ⚽
Over 3.5 goals – 4/5 (Betfred)
Hoffenheim’s matches last season featured an average of 3.88 goals, second only to Bayern Munich. That is another reason why we should anticipate a high-scoring encounter when Bayer Leverkusen head to the PreZero Arena.
We must also consider Leverkusen. Both of their games in 2024/25 have finished 3-2 (one in their favour and one against them).
Moreover, their fixtures towards the end of last season tended to contain a fair amount of goals. On average, Leverkusen’s last eight Bundesliga encounters have featured 4.38 strikes.
Alonso’s team can hurt you in many different ways. On their way to title glory last term, they shared the goals around more than most champions do. Their top scorer ended the campaign having found the net ‘only’ 14 times.
Given Hoffenheim are unlikely to sit back and simply hope for the best on Saturday, the neutrals should be treated to an enjoyable contest.
⚽ Tip over 3.5 goals at 4/5 with Betfred ⚽
Victor Boniface to score any time – 19/20 (Betfred)
Victor Boniface was the man who led the way for Bayer Leverkusen with 14 goals in 2023/24.
He surely would have managed more had he not missed several games due to injury and international duty.
The Nigeria international was not the subject of much transfer interest over the summer, at least in comparison to some of his team-mates.
He is still waiting for his first goal of the current campaign having drawn a blank against both Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig.
But it is only a matter of time before Boniface gets off the mark for 2024/25 and he will fancy his chances of doing so against a Hoffenheim side that struggles to keep opposition attackers under wraps.
⚽ Choose Victor Boniface as an anytime scorer at 19/20 with Betfred ⚽
📺 How to watch Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen
- Location: PreZero Arena, Sinsheim, Germany.
- Date and time: Saturday 14th September, 2.30pm.
- How to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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