RB Leipzig reduced the gap at the top of the Bundesliga to five points last weekend with a rampant 4-1 win on the road at Werder Bremen. Die Roten Bullen are now on 60 points and in second chasing down league leaders Bayern Munich who are on 65. The visitors Hoffenheim are laboring just below mid-table in 12th having ended a three-game losing run last time out as they drew 0- 0 with Bayer Leverkusen. Hoffenheim are just five points above the relegation play-off position so they may need a few more points to secure their place in the league although recent form does little to suggest that they are going to pick up anything here.
A narrow 1-0 defeat to Bayern a fortnight ago seemed to end Leipzig's title hopes but with the table-toppers slipping up at the weekend, Leipzig were able to take advantage. Each of Leipzig's last three wins have come on the road but their record at home this season can only be bettered by Bayern. The hosts have won 10 of their 14 Bundesliga home games and have conceded just 11 goals and they did beat Hoffenheim 3-1 when these sides last met here back in December 2019.
In fact, Hoffenheim have failed to win any of their last six meetings with Leipzig and have lost each of the last three head-to-heads. The away side aren't exactly in great form coming into this one either. After three successive defeats to Stuttgart, Mainz and Augsburg, Hoffenheim picked up a much-needed point against Bayer Leverkusen last time out but on the road, they have lost three of their last five league games.