The 2024/25 season has not panned out the way either VfL Wolfsburg or TSG Hoffenheim would have planned. The Wolves’ dream of qualifying for Europe did not come to fruition, while Hoffenheim are still battling to secure their top-flight status on Matchday 33.
Friday’s fixture represents the first game at the helm for caretaker coach Daniel Bauer, who will be eager to avoid a debut defeat; the last Green-and-White coach to lose their first game in charge was Valerien Ismael in October 2016 with a 3-1 reverse against SV Darmstadt 98.
Further facts and figures on Friday’s floodlit game:
- VfL have only picked up one point from their five most recent Bundesliga assignments. Hoffenheim have won one and drawn one across the same period.
- The teams first met in 2008, but as both have been ever-present in the top flight since then, they have now faced each other 35 times across the Bundesliga and DFB Cup. The Wolves have won almost half of those (17), with eight draws and 10 victories for Hoffenheim.
- Wolfsburg have only lost one of their last 10 home matches against Hoffenheim, with an average of 2.5 goals per game scored during that period.
- The team that took the lead first has gone on to lose in each of the last three meetings between these sides. VfL have dropped 17 points from winning positions in 2024/25, the second highest tally in the Bundesliga behind VfB Stuttgart (23). Hoffenheim have lost 12 such points.
- Captain Maximilian Arnold, who is still suspended following his red card against SC Freiburg, scored his first-ever Bundesliga goal against Hoffenheim in a 2-2 draw at the Volkswagen Arena.
- Hoffenheim have fielded more players (34) than any other club in the Bundesliga this season. By way of comparison, 27 different players have featured for VfL so far this term.
