Guirassy’s Dortmund Seek Conviction at a Hoffenheim Side Running on Empty

Last Updated on April 16, 2026 8:16 pm by ZUWP Automation

Twelve goals, a top-eight scorer, and a defence that has shipped just once in five away matches — yet Dortmund arrive having won only two of their last five

Borussia Dortmund travel to the PreZero Arena on Saturday carrying a squad capable of hurting anyone in the Bundesliga, yet also a recent record that raises serious questions about consistency. TSG Hoffenheim, meanwhile, have drawn three of their last five and have not won at home in their last two recorded results. Something has to give.

Match Details

• Fixture: TSG Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund
• Venue: PreZero Arena
• Date: 18 April 2026
• Competition: Bundesliga 2025/26

Form: Stalemates and Stumbles

Hoffenheim’s recent run reads 1W 3D 1L across their last five, and the pattern tells its own story. Three draws in five matches — including a goalless affair at home to Wolfsburg and a 1-1 against Mainz at the PreZero Arena — point to a side that is not losing games so much as failing to win them. Their only victory in this stretch came away at Heidenheim, a 2-0 result that stands as the lone bright spot.

The sole defeat, a 0-1 home loss to St. Pauli, underlines the fragility. Most recently, they drew 2-2 away at Augsburg. Three points at home has become a rarity, and Dortmund will be acutely aware of that.

Dortmund’s form is more volatile. Two wins, one draw, two losses in their last five gives a misleading impression of balance — the defeats are the more telling data. A 0-2 home loss to Hamburger SV and a 0-1 reverse against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in their most recent outing suggest a side capable of going flat at Signal Iduna Park. Away from home, though, the picture is slightly different: a 1-0 win at Köln and a goalless draw at Stuttgart show defensive solidity on the road. Their last five away results include just one goal conceded.

Key Players to Watch

TSG Hoffenheim

Fisnik Asllani is Hoffenheim’s most dangerous attacking presence. Eight goals and six assists in 26 appearances, with 57 shots and 23 on target, make him the focal point of everything the home side try to create going forward. His 29 key passes across the season add a creative dimension beyond the goal threat, and his average of 2.2 shots per game is the highest in the Hoffenheim squad.

Wouter Burger is the engine in midfield. Four goals, six assists, 53 tackles, and 38 key passes in 23 matches paint the picture of a player who does everything. His average rating of 7.19 is the highest of any outfield player with significant minutes at the club, and his 9 big chances created underline that he is not just a worker but a genuine creative force.

Vladimír Coufal’s numbers from a defensive position are striking: 12 big chances created and 46 key passes across the season, ranking 34th in the entire Bundesliga for big chances created. He is Hoffenheim’s most consistent provider from wide areas, and Dortmund’s left flank will need to be alert.

Borussia Dortmund

Serhou Guirassy is simply the most dangerous centre-forward on the pitch. Twelve goals in 26 appearances, 62 shots, 29 on target, and a shots average of 2.4 per game place him 8th in the entire Bundesliga for goals. He wins duels — 116 across the season — and his 0.46 goals per game is a rate that makes him a constant threat from any position inside the area.

Julian Ryerson’s contribution from right-back is remarkable. Twelve assists in 26 matches puts him third in the Bundesliga for assists, trailing only Michael Olise and Florian Wirtz. His 14 big chances created leads Dortmund’s entire squad and ranks 23rd in the division. If Dortmund are to unlock Hoffenheim’s defensive block, Ryerson’s delivery will be central to it.

Nico Schlotterbeck anchors the Dortmund defence with authority. Four goals, 40 tackles, 96 clearances, and 1,422 total passes — more than any other Dortmund outfield player — reflect a centre-back who is as comfortable building from the back as he is stopping attacks. His average rating of 7.05 is the second highest in the Dortmund squad among regular starters.

Season Stats Comparison

The individual numbers tell a clear story about where each side’s strengths lie. Dortmund’s top scorer Guirassy (12 goals, 8th in the Bundesliga) significantly outpaces Hoffenheim’s Asllani (8 goals, 22nd). In the assist charts, Ryerson’s 12 is a full five ahead of Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Touré on seven. The creative gap between these two sides is real, and it runs through almost every category.

Oliver Baumann’s 75 saves is the more telling goalkeeper figure here. Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper has been called upon significantly more than Kobel, who has made 67. That workload differential reflects a side that has been under sustained pressure across the campaign, and facing Guirassy will not ease the burden.

Head to Head

The recent head-to-head record offers little comfort for the home side. In their last three meetings, Hoffenheim have not won once: Dortmund lead with two wins and one draw. The most recent encounter, played at Signal Iduna Park in December 2025, ended 1-0 to Dortmund. A narrow result, but the direction of travel is consistent. Hoffenheim have yet to find a way to beat this Dortmund side across the last three attempts, and Saturday represents another opportunity to break that sequence on home soil.

Closing Paragraph

Hoffenheim arrive at this fixture having drawn more games than they have won in recent weeks, a side that is containing rather than convincing. Dortmund, for all their individual quality — Guirassy’s 12 goals, Ryerson’s creative brilliance from right-back, Schlotterbeck’s composure in possession — have shown they can be beaten at home and can stutter on the road. The question Saturday poses is a direct one: can Hoffenheim finally manufacture a win against a Dortmund side that has owned this fixture, or does Guirassy find another way through a defence that has already called upon its goalkeeper 75 times this season? The PreZero Arena has its answers ready.