Hoffenheim vs. VfB Stuttgart – prediction, preview & betting tips – 12/09/2026

Hoffenheim welcome Stuttgart to the Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Saturday afternoon looking to secure their first Bundesliga win of the season, while the visitors arrive in buoyant mood after securing a Champions League victory during the week.

Christian Ilzer has endured a difficult start to his third season in charge of Hoffenheim, with a DFB-Pokal victory followed by back-to-back 3-2 defeats, the latest of which saw his side surrender a two-goal lead against Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

As for the visitors, Stuttgart finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season to secure Champions League qualification, and they began their European campaign with a 3-1 victory over Viking thanks to an Ermedin Demirovic hat-trick, following a 4-1 league win over Koln.

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. VfB Stuttgart key stats

• Hoffenheim have conceded three goals in each of their first two league matches.
• The Kraichgauers have scored eight goals across three competitive matches this season, winning just one.
• Stuttgart have not lost to Hoffenheim in their last five meetings, winning once and drawing four.
• Sebastian Hoeneß's men have scored 12 goals in their last five matches.

Hoffenheim vs. VfB Stuttgart preview: Can Hoffenheim end their frustrating wait for a win?

Led by Christian Ilzer, Hoffenheim recorded their highest Bundesliga finish for nearly a decade last season, finishing fifth and securing a place in this year's Europa League.

A record of 18 wins, seven draws and nine defeats earned the Kraichgauers 61 points from 34 matches, leaving them just one point short of the Champions League places.

While they will have to wait until next week to begin their European campaign against OFI Crete, Hoffenheim have instead been focused on their Bundesliga commitments.

However, Ilzer's men have struggled since the return of league football, suffering two consecutive 3-2 defeats, with the latest loss to Dortmund particularly frustrating after they led 2-0 after 54 minutes before collapsing late on.

Despite entering the third league game of the season without a point, there are still positives for Hoffenheim to take from their start, with the Kraichgauers having scored eight goals across their three competitive matches, including their DFB-Pokal victory.

As for the visitors, Stuttgart make their way to southwestern Germany on the back of two consecutive victories after suffering a heavy defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening Bundesliga fixture.

The 5-1 loss to Vincent Kompany's side followed a 4-0 DFB-Pokal victory over Rostock, with Dzenan Pejcinovic scoring a hat-trick to help Stuttgart safely progress to the next round of the cup they won in 2025.

More recently, they secured their first Bundesliga points of the season by thrashing Koln 4-1 at home before turning their attention to Champions League football.

Taking on Swedish side Viking, Sebastian Hoeneß's men made a winning start to their European campaign, with Ermedin Demirovic scoring a hat-trick to help Die Roten claim victory in Europe's premier club competition.

The sides now meet on Saturday, with Hoffenheim searching for their first league win of the season and Stuttgart aiming to make it three victories in a row in all competitions.

However, recent history suggests that a draw could be on the cards, with the last four meetings ending all square.

Hoffenheim vs. VfB Stuttgart form guide & betting tips

Whispers predicts: Hoffenheim 2-2 VfB Stuttgart

The last time this fixture produced a winner was in March 2024, and with Stuttgart carrying strong momentum into this contest while Hoffenheim remain desperate for their first league victory, we expect an entertaining encounter to end in a high-scoring draw.

Our 2-2 prediction is priced at 9/1, while Over 2.5 Goals comes in at 4/11.

Ermedin Demirovic has scored four goals in less than a week and is priced at 13/8 to find the back of the net again this weekend.

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