Lyon should be expected to win against Hoffenheim by a scoreline of 1:3.
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This Thursday, the PreZero Arena hosts an exciting Europa League showdown. Keep reading for our Hoffenheim vs Lyon predictions below.
The German side enters the fixture in concerning form, currently in the Bundesliga’s relegation playoff spot after a poor start to their season. In Europe, their performance has been inconsistent, with one win, one draw, and one defeat from their three group matches.
Meanwhile, Lyon have shown signs of recovery after a slow start to their season. Pierre Sage’s side sit sixth in Ligue 1 and maintain a strong position in their Europa League group, with two wins from three matches.
The probable lineup for Hoffenheim in the “3-4-1-2”
Baumann; Chaves, Stach, Nsoki; Gendrey, Grillitsch, Bischof, Prass; Kramarić; Tabakovic, Bülter.
The probable lineup for Lyon in the “4-3-3”
Lucas Perri; Maitland-Niles, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Matic, Veretout, Tolisso; Cherki, Lacazette, Fofana.
Lyon’s recent form makes them an attractive proposition in this matchup. Their unbeaten away run has now stretched to five matches across all competitions, demonstrating their growing confidence on the road. The French team demonstrated their high-level performance in European competitions, with an impressive 4-1 win at Rangers, their sole away game in Europe this season.
Hoffenheim’s domestic struggles are now more than a blip, registering just two wins from nine Bundesliga fixtures. Their recent defeat to newly-promoted St Pauli highlighted ongoing issues in creating chances, despite dominating possession.
The contrast in momentum is obvious. Lyon has suffered just one defeat in their last eight competitive fixtures, while Hoffenheim continues to struggle for consistency. Even in their sole Europa League loss, Lyon showed their knack for creating chances with 30 shots against Besiktas.This suggests they have the firepower to capitalise on Hoffenheim’s vulnerabilities.
Fofana enters this fixture in exceptional form, having established himself as a key figure in Lyon’s attack. The teenage sensation has made the most of his increased playing time, with five goals across all competitions demonstrating his clinical edge in front of goal.
The stats back Fofana’s scoring potential. Over his last six appearances, he has attempted 13 shots with seven finding the target, resulting in four goals. This impressive shot accuracy rate, combined with his ability to find scoring positions consistently, makes him a genuine threat against a brittle Hoffenheim defence that has struggled to keep clean sheets.
Most impressively, Fofana has managed to register at least one shot on target in six of his last seven appearances, scoring in four of these matches. His latest goal, a crucial stoppage-time equaliser against Lille, further emphasises his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations.
These sides met fairly recently in the 2018 Champions League. The last encounter at the PreZero Arena was a 3-3 thriller with six goals scored. A month later, the return match also ended in a draw, finishing 2-2.
Both teams have maintained their attacking traditions this season, with their combined fixtures averaging just over three goals per game. This is largely due to the defensive weaknesses of both teams.
Hoffenheim has kept only one clean sheet at home, yet they consistently manage to score. Lyon’s recent away form has seen them score in four consecutive road trips, though they’ve only managed two clean sheets away from home across all competitions.
The combined statistics are particularly telling – across 27 competitive fixtures this season, these teams have been involved in matches producing 83 goals. With both sides averaging more than three goals per game (Hoffenheim 3.07, Lyon 3.08), the conditions appear ripe for another high-scoring encounter in a game both sides need to win.
Therefore, our Hoffenheim vs Lyon predictions suggest a thrilling, goal-laden match is on the cards.