Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund: Injuries and Form Ahead of Sinsheim Clash
The international TV map for Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund stretches from Sky Sports in the UK to DAZN in Spain and Canada, via beIN Sports in Australia and Disney+ Premium in South America. Wherever you are, there’s a way to watch. The question is what kind of Dortmund side you’ll be tuning in for — and whether Hoffenheim can bloody their nose again.
Kick-off is set for 5 September 2026 at 14:30, with Sinsheim hosting a Dortmund team that arrives with momentum, but also with a growing casualty list.
Hoffenheim bruised but dangerous
Christian Ilzer’s side come into this one limping, at least in terms of results. One win, one draw and three defeats in their last five tell the story of a team still searching for rhythm. Seven goals scored, ten conceded, and not a single clean sheet in that run underline the problem: they can play, but they can’t shut the door.
Their last outing was chaotic and costly — a 3-2 Bundesliga loss to Cologne on August 29. Before that, they flexed their muscles in the DFB-Pokal with a 4-0 demolition of Erzgebirge Aue, only to stall again in back-to-back friendlies against Tottenham, which produced a draw and a defeat.
Ilzer has one confirmed absentee. Alexander Prass is ruled out, but the rest of his selection picture is clear. The projected XI puts Oliver Baumann in goal, shielded by a back line of Ozan Kabak, Albian Hajdari and Bernardo, with Vladimir Coufal also expected to feature in defence.
In midfield, Bambase Conte, Wouter Burger, Adam Daghim and Leon Avdullahu are all in line to start, a blend of legs and structure tasked with protecting a back line that has leaked too often. Up front, Adam Hlozek and Tim Lemperle are set to lead the attack, charged with turning Hoffenheim’s sporadic promise into something more ruthless.
No suspensions cloud the picture for the hosts. The selection is stable. The form is not.
Dortmund arrive with goals – and gaps
Niko Kovac’s Dortmund travel to Sinsheim with a very different recent story. Three wins, one draw and a single defeat in their last five matches, twelve goals scored and seven conceded. This is a team that has started the season with intent.
Their most recent performance was a statement: a 5-0 DFB-Pokal rout of HEBC Hamburg on September 1, a result that showcased their attacking depth and underlined the gulf in quality. In the Bundesliga, they opened with a 2-0 win over Hamburger SV on August 29, a controlled, professional start.
The blemish came on the big stage. A 1-2 Super Cup defeat to Bayern Munich wedged between that league win and a 2-2 pre-season draw with Roma reminded Dortmund of the standard they still have to hit if they want silverware.
Kovac, though, doesn’t have a full deck to play with. Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, Giannis Konstantelias, Justin Lerma and Mussa Kaba are all sidelined through injury. Samuele Inacio is suspended. The spine is thinner than he would like.
Even so, the projected XI looks imposing. Gregor Kobel takes his usual place in goal. In front of him, Joane Gadou, Daniel Svensson and Waldemar Anton form the defensive core, with Julian Ryerson also in line to start across the back line. Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha are set to anchor midfield, tasked with controlling the tempo and shielding a reshaped defence.
Further forward, the talent is unmistakable. Konstantinos Karetsas, Jobe Bellingham and Maximilian Beier are expected to support central striker Serhou Guirassy, a front four with pace, movement and goals in them. If Dortmund click, they can overwhelm teams in waves.
Recent history offers no comfort
Dortmund may sit fifth in the current Bundesliga table, with Hoffenheim down in 14th, but the head-to-head record refuses to paint this as a formality.
The last time these two met, on April 18, 2026, Hoffenheim won 2-1 at the SNP Arena. It wasn’t a fluke, either. Across the last five meetings, Dortmund have two wins, Hoffenheim have two, and there’s one draw. Fourteen goals across those games point to an open, often frantic fixture where control rarely lasts long.
Dortmund’s most recent home victory in this matchup came in December 2025, a 2-0 success at Signal Iduna Park. Away in Sinsheim, the margins have been far finer.
So the picture is clear. Hoffenheim, fragile at the back but capable of landing a punch, facing a Dortmund side that has started strongly but limps into town without several key names. One team needs a stabilising result, the other wants to keep the early-season surge rolling.
The last time Hoffenheim hosted this game, they tore up the script. Will Dortmund let them do it again?
