Crystal Palace will look to bounce back from their recent defeat against Tottenham when they host Hoffenheim in their next Europa League match on Thursday.
Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 4th November.
- Kick-off: 5:45pm BST.
- Venue: Selhurst Park, London.
Crystal Palace team news
Crystal Palace head into this continental clash with mixed fortunes on the fitness front, but manager Pierre Sage receives a massive boost upfront.
Star striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is fully eligible to lead the line for the Eagles, as his recent domestic red card against Tottenham Hotspur does not carry over to European competitions.
However, the medical room remains busy at Selhurst Park. The hosts are definitively ruled out from utilising winger Ismaïla Sarr, who is recovering from a groin strain, alongside defender Takehiro Tomiyasu due to a persistent calf problem, and centre-back Chadi Riad, who remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Additionally, late fitness tests will determine whether Jörgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber can shake off ankle and hamstring issues, respectively, to make the bench.
Former Bundesliga loanees Daichi Kamada and Chris Richards are both expected to start against their former club.
Hoffenheim team news
Hoffenheim travel to London facing a significant selection headache as manager Christian Ilzer grapples with an extensive absentee list.
On a positive note, dynamic wing-back Alexander Prass is completely refreshed and available for selection after serving a domestic suspension over the weekend.
However, the rest of the squad is heavily depleted. Experienced defender Vladimir Coufal is considered a major doubt following a late muscular issue picked up in training.
The visitors will definitely be without the services of a massive seven-player contingent, as Patrick Wimmer, Albian Hajdari, Robin Hranáč, Bambasé Conté, Valentin Gendrey, Nathan De Cat, and Max Moerstedt have all been officially ruled out of the travelling matchday squad due to their respective injuries.
Consequently, heavy expectations fall upon veteran forward Andrej Kramarić, who is fit and eager to replicate his recent stellar European form alongside Fisnik Asllani in attack.
Form
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace enter this fixture enduring a highly challenging patch, managing just one victory from their last five matches across all competitions. Pierre Sage’s side sits 18th in the Premier League after a recent 2-0 loss to Tottenham and an earlier 2-0 home defeat against Newcastle. However, European competitions have provided a slight refuge. They secured a 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Fulham and fought out a creditable 2-2 draw away at Beşiktaş, keeping them 15th in the Europa League standings.
Hoffenheim
TSG Hoffenheim have mirrored Palace’s inconsistencies, though they enjoyed a strong peak late last month. Christian Ilzer’s squad recently rattled off three consecutive wins, highlighted by a 3-0 dismantling of Bayer Leverkusen and a comprehensive 3-0 Europa League triumph over Lyon. However, their momentum has stalled slightly ahead of this trip. They were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal by Holstein Kiel on penalties following a 1-1 draw before succumbing to a 2-0 Bundesliga defeat against Werder Bremen.
Predicted lineups
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Khalaili, Wharton, Doucoure, Chilwell; Pino, Nketiah; Mateta
Hoffenheim: Baumann; Abraha, Kabak, Machida, Rots; Prass, Avdullahu; Kramaric, Daghim; Lemperle, Hlozek
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim?
You can watch the Crystal Palace vs TSG Hoffenheim UEFA Europa League match live in the UK on TNT Sports 1.
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