Read our prediction for Hoffenheim vs FK Crvena zvezda below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Hoffenheim vs FK Crvena zvezda and you can increase your winnings!
Hoffenheim vs FK Crvena zvezda Prediction & Betting tips
For the third time in the club’s history, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim has qualified for the main draw of an international competition. For the first time, the Kraichgauer want to survive the group phase and move into the knockout round. On paper, this undertaking seems definitely solvable, since the opposition with Red Star Belgrade, Slovan Liberec and KAA Gent seems absolutely feasible.
Nevertheless, the opening game on Thursday evening has of course a certain signal effect. Then Hoffenheim receives Red Star Belgrade. According to the odds of the best bookmakers, everything indicates that the Bundesliga club starts the Europa League season with a sense of achievement. In terms of quality, Sebastian Hoeneß’s team can certainly be rated a bit better, but TSG shouldn’t make the mistake of underestimating the Serbian guests.
On the one hand, Crvena Zvezda is currently in good shape and confidently leads the rankings at home with an eight point lead. On the other hand, the red-whites haven’t lost a single match after regular time this season, even though they surprisingly failed to qualify for the Champions League against Omonia Nicosia in round three.
To make matters worse, from the home side’s point of view, unlike on the weekend, when over 6,000 fans were allowed to play in Sinsheim against Dortmund, no spectators are allowed this time. However, this does not change the fact that we are predicting a home win between Hoffenheim and Red Star Belgrade. Even the double result (HT1 / FT1) impresses with an attractive value.
Hoffenheim:
At TSG Hoffenheim, people are horrified these days and weeks. Horrified that FIFA or the national associations do not consider it necessary to adjust the tight program for football professionals. In particular, the international matches are a central topic of criticism that sports director Alexander Rosen publicly communicated in the run-up to the Europa League kick-off.
The anger of the Kraichgauer is understandable, however, since with Andrej Kramaric and Kasim Adams two players returned from their national teams, were then tested positive and now, like Pavel Kaderabek, have to remain in quarantine. Above all, the failure of Kramaric weighs heavily, of course, as the Croatian attacker scored six goals in the first three match days.
Without their top scorer, the team of coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who caused a sensation on the first two game days with two wins, including the 4-1 home win against FC Bayern, most recently two Bundesliga bankruptcies in a row. Before the international break, they unfortunately lost 2-1 in Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund was one goal better at the weekend.
Nevertheless, the anticipation for the European comeback is unbroken. Around two years after the sensational Champions League participation in 2018/2019, “Achtzehn99” is back on the international stage and this time wants to do everything better. In the only two continental adventures so far, the blue-whites always ended up prematurely as the bottom of the group.
In 2017/2018, the Kraichgauer recorded just five points in the Europa League group stage and immediately suffered a severe bankruptcy against Braga on the first matchday. On Thursday, however, a positive start should be made. The higher individual quality, the quite appealing performances in the Bundesliga and the extreme intrinsic motivation, which is by no means given everywhere in the case of the second most important European club competition, definitely justify the tip for a sovereign home success between Hoffenheim and Red Star Belgrade.
Red Star Belgrade:
Started with the goal of reaching the Champions League group stage for the third year in a row, Red Star Belgrade had to be satisfied with the second-rate Europa League in 2020/21. Instead of matches against Tottenham, FC Bayern, Paris St. Germain or Liverpool as in the past two seasons, the Serbian title holder is now facing KAA Gent, Slovan Liberec and TSG Hoffenheim.
The red-whites will be particularly annoyed by the fact that on the way to the premier class with Omonia Nicosia there was actually a feasible opponent waiting in the third qualifying round. Nevertheless, the men of coach Dejan Stankovic got the short straw after extra time and thus experienced a mental setback.
In terms of motivation and “head”, this circumstance is possibly one of the reasons why the odds on the Bundesliga club appear more promising before the duel between Hoffenheim and Red Star Belgrade. The quality of the squad as well as the bottom line disappointing performance in the Europa League playoffs at Ararat-Armenia (2: 1) confirm the role of favorites of the Hoeneß-Elf.
In terms of shape, Crvena Zvezda is currently hardly leading the way in Europe. After playing eleven match days in the Serbian league, the red and whites are undisputedly in first place with ten wins and one draw. The defending champion only conceded four goals, but scored more than three goals on average per game. The dress rehearsal over the weekend in the prestigious derby against Partizan Belgrade ended in a 1-1 draw.