TSG Hoffenheim vs Schalke 04 Predictions, Betting Tips, & Match Preview

Hoffenheim’s “great escape” from relegation last season can only be accredited to one man, coach Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann is the youngest ever Bundesliga coach and was only 28 years old when he took the first-team reins in February 2016. He pushed Hoffenheim to safety with an attacking, entertaining brand of football, which has continued over their opening four fixtures so far. Nagelsmann has already stated that relegation is not a thought heading into the new season as even considering it would “not be setting a target”. Hoffenheim’s unbeaten start to their 2016/2017 campaign, qualifying through to the second round of the DFB Pokal with ease and taking four points through four draws in their opening matches (a 2-2 draw at home to RB Leipzig, a 4-4 draw away to Mainz 05, a 0-0 draw at home to Wolfsburg and a 1-1 draw away to Darmstadt), shows signs of a more consistent future for the side.

Schalke are one of just two sides, alongside Werder Bremen, to have taken no points from their opening four fixtures and are the only side to have only scored just one goal so far. Schalke were, naturally, expected to start their Bundesliga campaign out stronger after an impressive preseason under new coach Markus Weinzierl and with a handful of promising new signings. However, difficult fixtures against in-form sides Frankfurt, reigning champions Bayern Munich, Hertha Berlin, and Cologne has seen them take away nothing but defeats. Schalke’s performances have simply not been up to scratch. Though most would praise the eighty or so minutes they tended defensively to Bayern’s pressure going forwards, the visitors have simply not looked dangerous enough in front of goal and confidence must be at a low.

Though Schalke have won the last three consecutive matches against Hoffenheim, we feel the circumstances are much different here than they have been over those meetings. Considering that Hoffenheim are unbeaten so far this season and in decent form at home – Hoffenheim have lost just one of their last nine home matches (W5 D3 L1) – then the bookies’ price of 17/10 on the home win is certainly tempting. Combine that with the fact that Schalke are in awful form, conceding an average of two goals per game so far this season, and that they have lost five of their last seven matches on the road, then we feel a bet on the hosts has to be the way to go here.

Given Hoffenheim’s current tendency to draw, however, we feel we can make a safer bet on the hosts using the “Asian Handicap” market. Betting on Hoffenheim with a 0.0 Asian Handicap means that if the match does end drawn then the bet is a push and the bookies will refund the stake.

As such, TSG Hoffenheim 0.0 Asian Handicap at 2.025 and Hoffenheim to win 2-1 at 9/1 with bet365 are our choice bets for this match.