Hoffenheim vs Köln

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Hoffenheim aims to halt their six-game winless streak in the league as they welcome FC Koln on Sunday. Meanwhile, FC Koln managed to secure only their third Bundesliga victory of the season in their recent triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Hoffenheim has struggled to secure wins in recent months, managing just one victory in their last 11 league matches under Pellegrino Matarazzo's leadership. Consequently, they risk dropping into the bottom half of the table if results don't go their way before hosting Koln.

In their previous outing against Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim squandered a lead twice, with Maximilian Beier and Grischa Promel finding the net at the Volkswagen Arena. Despite Lovro Majer's brace for Hoffenheim, the match ended in a draw, leaving both teams three points apart in the standings.

Hoffenheim has seen both teams score in 14 of their last 15 league matches, with their only exception being a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. The team has struggled defensively, conceding two or more goals in nine of their 11 away games, highlighting the need for improvement at the back to contend for European qualification spots.

Facing FC Koln, who are currently one of the lowest-scoring teams in the Bundesliga, might offer Hoffenheim some relief. However, with Koln battling relegation and showing signs of improvement since the winter break under new manager Timo Schultz, Hoffenheim cannot expect an easy match.

After suffering a crushing home loss to Borussia Dortmund, the Billy Goats drew with Heidenheim and Wolfsburg before defeating Frankfurt last weekend to secure their first victory under their new manager. This victory moved them three points clear of Mainz 05 inside the automatic relegation zone.

Before Niels Nkounkou was sent off for a second bookable offense in the second half, the game seemed to be headed to a draw. Faride Alidou quickly took advantage of his team's numerical advantage by putting them ahead. Ten minutes remaining in normal time, Jan Thielmann's goal all but guaranteed his team's victory; late on, Tuta also saw red.

Schultz and his team are fully aware of the challenge ahead to avoid relegation from the top tier of football. However, based on their recent performances, they seem to have enough capability to avoid finishing in the bottom two positions.

Hoffenheim will have to manage without John Brooks, who is suspended for one match due to accumulating five cautions this season. Kevin Akpoguma is expected to step in alongside Ozan Kabak in defense, while Florian Grillitsch will return to the midfield after serving his suspension.

Injuries continue to affect Hoffenheim, with Finn Becker, Mergim Berisha, and Marco John still recovering from serious knee injuries. Dennis Geiger is also not yet ready to return from his groin problem. Players like Robert Skov, Marius Bulter, and Ihlas Bebou are vying for starting positions after appearing as substitutes in the previous match against Wolfsburg.

Koln, on the other hand, will be missing Philipp Pentke, Davie Selke, Luca Waldschmidt, and Mark Uth due to injuries. There might also be a need to replace Alidou, who was substituted after scoring the opening goal against Frankfurt due to a muscle strain.

If Alidou is unable to play as expected, Sargis Adamyan is likely to start in his place, with Thielmann continuing to play in the central striking position, despite it not being his usual role.