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OFI Crete and Hoffenheim will do battle on Thursday in the first round of fixtures in the Europa League league phase.
The hosts had to battle through a playoff round to reach this stage, while their visitors will play their first game of the continental season on the back of a Bundesliga victory at the weekend.
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.
OFI Crete vs Hoffenheim key stats
- OFI Crete have won their last three matches without conceding.
- OFI Crete's successful playoff tie was their first continental game since losing their first qualifying game in 2020-21.
- Hoffenheim have conceded seven goals in their first three Bundesliga games in 2026-27.
- Hoffenheim failed to qualify through last year's league phase, finishing with nine points from their eight matches.
OFI Crete vs Hoffenheim preview: Can OFI Crete make it four straight wins in first-ever league phase game?
OFI Crete vs Hoffenheim — Tale of the Tape
| OFI Crete | vs | Hoffenheim |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd (Greek Super League) | Position | 13th (Bundesliga) |
| 9 | Points | 3 |
| 6 | Goals For | 6 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 7 |
| 3 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 4th | Home / Away Rank | 12th |
OFI Crete will play their first ever European league-phase game on Thursday with the hopes of getting off to a winning start, having recorded a memorable two-legged victory in qualifying to reach this stage.
O Omilos earned a place in the Europa League playoff round by winning the Greek Cup in 2025-26, beating PAOK 3-2 in the final to pick up their first ever major domestic silverware, before beginning the new term against AEK Athens in the Greek Super Cup and prevailing after a 2-2 draw and a triumphant penalty shootout.
CSKA Sofia stood between Christos Kontis's team and a place in Europe's secondary competition, and they advanced with a dominant aggregate victory, winning 3-0 at home and 2-0 away in August.
Those wins have formed part of a strong start to the term on all fronts, with Kontis's men having won seven of their nine competitive matches in all competitions while only losing one and scoring 16 goals along the way, having most recently beaten Olympiacos 1-0 away from home at the weekend to make it three straight wins and go third in the Greek Super League after four matches with Kenan Kodro netting the decisive goal.
OFI Crete now head into their toughest test yet and on a historic night for the club in their league-phase debut with the hopes of putting their first points on the board on home soil.
Their opponents, meanwhile, return to the Europa League league phase which they failed to progress out of last term, with the hopes of improving this time around and staking a claim for a knockout place.
Indeed, Hoffenheim managed two wins and three draws in their eight games to fall short of advancing in 2025-26, but they booked a ticket back into this year's competition and bypassed qualifying with a fifth-placed Bundesliga finish last time around, having finished on 61 points – just one behind fourth-placed Stuttgart and four behind RB Leipzig.
Their start to the new domestic term has been eventful, scoring 10 goals in four matches and conceding seven in their first three in the Bundesliga after an opening DFB Pokal win, having started in the league with consecutive 3-2 losses to Koln and Borussia Dortmund.
A first league win then came at the third time of asking on Saturday, as Die Kraichgauer beat Stuttgart 2-1 with Adam Hlozek scoring a goal in each half.
Now turning their focus to a first continental outing of the campaign, Hoffenheim will bid to avoid an upset in Crete and get up and running, having quickly found their attacking groove with two or more goals in each of their games so far in 2026-27.
OFI Crete vs Hoffenheim form guide & betting tips
| OFI Crete | vs | Hoffenheim |
|---|---|---|
LDWWW |
Form | DWLLW |
| 7 | Goals For | 12 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 9 |
WW |
Europa League | N/A |
Whispers predicts: OFI Crete 1-3 Hoffenheim
OFI Crete have made a strong start to their season, winning seven of nine competitive matches, and while they may not have the quality or pedigree to compare to a top-end Bundesliga outfit, they do meet a Hoffenheim team who have had open and eventful games in the early stages of the new term, scoring two goals in each of their first three league matches and conceding seven overall. We fancy Both Teams to Score at 4/5 (1.80).
The end to end nature of Hoffenheim's early season games has also given rise to high set piece counts, having earned 22 and conceded 16 in their three league matches, while their hosts have shown their ability to hold their own with a playoff win and an away victory over Olympiacos last time out. While Hoffenheim may have the lion's share of attacks, both teams should contribute to another high count with over 10 corners priced at 6/4 (2.50).
The visitors have shown their ability to score freely in 2026-27, even in defeat, and Adam Hlozek capitalised on that last time out, scoring both goals in their first league win. He has started in attack in every competitive game so far this season after an injury-hit 2025-26 and may operate as the focal point with renewed confidence on Thursday. The 46-capped Czech international boasts nine goals in European club competitions and is priced at 6/5 (2.20) to score anytime.
> Both Teams to Score at 4/5 (1.80) | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 10 corners at 6/4 (2.50) | Likelihood: Possible
> Adam Hlozek to score anytime at 6/5 (2.20) | Likelihood: Possible