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Lyon travel from east-central France to Sinsheim on Thursday night to face Hoffenheim at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, with both sides preparing for their third Europa League league-phase fixture of the season.
Die Kraichgauer have struggled across all competitions this season, winning just once in their last five matches. They have also failed to pick up a single point from their opening Europa League fixtures, losing to OFI Crete and Besiktas.
The visitors, meanwhile, have enjoyed an impressive start in both Ligue 1 and Europe, sitting top of the French top flight and looking to extend their winning start in the league phase after victories over Anderlecht and Crystal Palace.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Hoffenheim vs. Lyon key stats
- All three previous meetings between the sides have ended in draws, with an average of 4.7 goals scored per game.
- Hoffenheim have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven matches.
- Only four teams have conceded more than Hoffenheim's five goals in this season's Europa League.
- Lyon have scored in nine of their last 10 matches.
- Les Gones sit top of Ligue 1, with no other team having conceded fewer than their five goals.
Hoffenheim vs. Lyon preview: Can the French league leaders make it three from three in the Europa League?
Hoffenheim vs. Lyon — Tale of the Tape
| Hoffenheim | vs | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
| 14th (Bundesliga) | Position | 1st (Ligue 1) |
| 6 | Points | 14 |
| 11 | Goals For | 13 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 5 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 3 |
| 14th / 9th | Home / Away Rank | 1st / 7th |
Christian Ilzer will take charge of his 75th match as Hoffenheim manager on Thursday night, having guided Die Kraichgauer to a fifth-place finish in the Bundesliga last season and secured Europa League qualification without the need for additional qualifiers.
They began the 2026-27 campaign with a win in the DFB-Pokal but then endured a run of just one victory in seven matches, leaving them 14th in the Bundesliga and 30th in the Europa League league phase.
Ilzer's men returned to winning ways at the weekend, scraping past bottom-placed Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1 to end their miserable run and move to within a single point of the relegation zone.
Despite scoring 11 goals in their opening six Bundesliga matches, the second-highest tally among teams in the bottom half and the same number as second-placed Borussia Dortmund, their defensive struggles have continued to cost them, with only three teams conceding more than their 14 goals.
The visitors, meanwhile, head to Germany after an impressive start to the season, having suffered just one defeat across Ligue 1 and the Europa League league phase.
Four wins, two draws and one defeat have earned Paulo Fonseca's side 14 points in the league, the same total as four other teams, while two victories from two European fixtures have left them eighth, with a chance to move top on Thursday night.
The only blemish on their impressive start is that they are competing in the Europa League rather than the Champions League, having failed to qualify for Europe's premier competition after navigating three qualifying rounds.
Lyon faced Fenerbahce in the playoffs but lost 2-1 at home in the second leg, following a 1-1 draw in Turkey, confirming their place in the Europa League.
Most recently, Les Gones faced Nice and came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory, maintaining their strong run of form in all competitions thanks to two goals in four minutes from Pavel Sulc and Tanner Tessmann.
Hoffenheim vs. Lyon form guide & betting tips
| Hoffenheim | vs | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
|
L
L
L
L
W
|
Form |
W
W
L
W
W
|
| 7 | Goals For | 12 |
| 12 | Goals Against | 6 |
|
L
L
|
Europa League |
W
W
|
Whispers predicts: Hoffenheim 1-3 Lyon
Given the sides' contrasting starts to the 2026-27 campaign, it is no surprise that Lyon head into Thursday's clash as firm favourites, with the French side priced at 9/4 to secure their third Europa League victory.
As mentioned, Hoffenheim have scored plenty of goals despite competing near the bottom of the table, and we expect them to find the net in this encounter. Both Teams to Score – Yes and Over 2.5 Goals are currently priced at 1/2.
In Ligue 1, Zachary Athekame has scored two goals and provided three assists in seven appearances, and he is priced at 10/3 to register a goal involvement in Sinsheim.
Our correct-score prediction, meanwhile, is priced at 22/1.
> Lyon to win at 9/4 | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 2.5 goals at 1/2 | Likelihood: Probable
> Both Teams to Score – Yes at 1/2 | Likelihood: Probable
> Zachary Athekame to score or assist at 10/3 | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score prediction of 1-3 at 22/1 | Likelihood: Longshot