Hertha BSC will host TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the Olympiastadion on the 13th matchday. The Berliners want to extend their successful streak and the visitors are keen to find a way out of trouble.
Berlin on a roll
The current situation for all Berlin fans, players and co. is quite incredible. Hertha are sitting in fourth position and dead level with FC Schalke 04. The upcoming match against Hoffenheim should bring in another three points to make the season start that little bit better for the club.
Salomon Kalou, especially, has finally found his strength and is absolutely crucial for Berlin at the moment. With seven goals in eleven matches he is currently fifth on the scoring charts. In their last match against Hannover 96, it was a one-man-show by the Ivorian. Kalou scored three goals and sealed the win in style.
Strikes in the 33th and 60th minute put guests 0-2 in front, while a penalty by Kiytoake in the 70th minute made for an exciting finish. Another penalty, this time for Berlin, was scored by Kalou late on to seal his hat-trick.
Hoffenheim in crisis
TSG Hoffenheim is currently in a crisis and, somehow, last season's eighth-placed side are unable to find a way to get out of it, and so the club are trying to find a solution after every match. Their next opponent will definitely give them a tough time in the Olympiastadion.
But finding this solution is even easy for Hoffenheim, especially after the previous meeting against Eintracht Frankfurt showed that Hoffenheim have a real problem going forward; eight shots in 90 minutes with only two of them on target, and these were also not even clear-cut chances. They had Oliver Baumann to thank for earning them a point in that match, once again.
Previous meeting
The last meeting between these two teams was in May on the very last matchday of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season. Hoffenheim won 2-1 and finished the season on eighth position. Hertha, on the other hand, could save themselves and so they finished in 15th with the same points as Hamburger SV.
The meeting on the 17th matchday in Olympiastadion was a torture for all Berliners, because Hoffenheim humiliated the hosts with a 5-0 win. Two penalties by Sahilovic, an own goal by Brooks and strikes by Schipplock and Rudy meant all fans from the Sinsheim side had an unforgettable win in the capital.
Prediciton
The role of favourties is now reversed and Hertha definitely have the upper hand in this meeting. A surprise win for the guests will not be expected and Berlin should not lose against Hoffenheim.
If Hoffenheim's defence can stop Kalou they could manage another draw and even one more point, but guests have to do everything to finally score and earn three points for their fans. If do not get some points in Berlin, times will be even harder for them.