1899 Hoffenheim vs Holstein Kiel

TSG Hoffenheim and Holstein Kiel have only met once before in professional football: TSG won 5-1 at home in the second round of the DFB-Pokal back in October 2021. Hoffenheim have only lost one of their 14 meetings with Bundesliga debutants (W7, D6): 2-1 to RB Leipzig in January 2017.

Holstein Kiel are the 58th different team to play in the Bundesliga and the first from the state of Schleswig-Holstein. Just two of the last 12 Bundesliga debutants have won their maiden top-flight game (D4, L6): FC Ingolstadt in 2015/16 and opponents TSG Hoffenheim in 2008/09.

Holstein Kiel were the second division’s best away team with 39 points last season, a new record in the division’s current format with 18 teams, as were their 12 away wins. Kiel won each of their last five away games in 2023/24, a new club record in Bundesliga 2 in its single-division era.

TSG Hoffenheim kept just two clean sheets in the Bundesliga last season, fewer than any other side and a new negative club record in the top flight. Holstein Kiel, on the other hand, managed a league-high 15 clean sheets in Bundesliga 2 in 2023/24.

TSG Hoffenheim have won three of their last four Bundesliga home games (D1), as many as across their first 13 home games of last season. However, since a 2-0 win over Schalke in April 2023, TSG are without a clean sheet in 20 league matches at home. After RW Essen in 1973/74 and VfB Stuttgart in 2021/22, Hoffenheim became the third side ever to fail to keep a single clean sheet at home in a Bundesliga season.