H2H: Hoffenheim vs Red Star Belgrade – Prediction (Europa League

Preview and Teams Comparison.

Hoffenheim striker Munas Dabbur scored both of RB Salzburg’s goals in a 2-2 draw against Red Star in a 2018/19 UCL play-off second leg. Red Star’s El Fardou Ben has scored three goals and assisted a further two across his previous three competitive European fixtures. Both teams have scored in each of Hoffenheim’s previous 14 combined European matches.

Hoffenheim Insights.

Hoffenheim will be eager to improve on their record of just one win across their previous 14 European fixtures (W1, D5, L8). Their record in home European matches also reads poorly (W1, D2, L4), although they did score the opening goal in all three of their UEFA Europa League (UEL) home matches in that run, and two of those openers arrived before the 30th minute. Domestic league form has been indifferent so far this season for Hoffenheim (W2, L2), although seven of their previous nine Bundesliga matches have produced over 2.5 match goals. Interestingly, three of their four league fixtures this season yielded goals in the opening and closing 20 minutes of the match.

Red Star Belgrade Insights.

Including qualifiers, Red Star Belgrade have lost only one of their previous six UEL fixtures (W2, D3, L1). Of potential encouragement is the fact that they secured clean sheets in all three of their UEL group stage away fixtures in 2017/18. However, five of the six halves played across those matches produced no goals. One-nil victors in their only prior UEL away match vs German opposition, the current Serbian champions come into this fixture undefeated in 12 domestic league matches – winning 11 (D1). Lethal in attack, they scored 3+ goals in nine of those victories, and have also won both halves in five of their previous six league matches.