Matchday 5 of the 2024/25 Europa League group stage will feature a clash between Braga (Portugal) and Hoffenheim (Germany) on November 28 at the Estádio Municipal de Braga. Braga vs. Hoffenheim: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Igor Pajač (Croatia)
Matches – 6 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 29;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.8;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 17%.
Predicted lineups for Braga vs. Hoffenheim
Braga (4-3-3): Lukasz Gorniczek – Roger Fernandes, Paulo Oliveira, Bright Arrey-Mbi, João Ferreira – Vítor Carvalho Vieira, João Moutinho, Ismaël Gharbi – Ricardo Horta, Roberto Fernandez Jaén, Gabi Martinez.
Hoffenheim (3-4-1-2): Oliver Baumann – Kevin Akpoguma, Anton Stach, Arthur Chaves – Alexander Prass, Florian Grillitsch, Umut Deger Tohumcu, Valentin Gendrey – Tom Bischof – Andrej Kramarić, Max Möhrstedt.
Each team's lineup reflects their starting eleven from their last match in this tournament.
Braga
In the 4th round of the Europa League, Carlos Carvalhal's side drew 1-1 with Elfsborg. This result extended the Portuguese team's winless streak in the tournament to three matches (1 draw, 2 losses). Such disappointing outcomes have affected the club's standing – Braga is currently 26th in the Europa League table.
- The club has scored exactly two goals in 5 of their last 7 home Europa League matches.
- Both teams scored in 6 of Braga's last 7 Europa League games.
- At least three goals have been scored in 6 of the last 8 home matches of the Portuguese club in this tournament.
Hoffenheim
Umut Deger Tohumcu's goal in the 96th minute against Lyon saved the German team from defeat in the previous Europa League round (2-2). After four matches, Hoffenheim has only five points. Their only victory in this stretch came against Dynamo Kyiv (2-0). In the standings, the club is 19th.
Main forward Marius Bülter will not be available for the upcoming game.
- The team has avoided defeat in 11 of their last 13 Europa League matches (6 wins, 5 draws).
- No more than three goals have been scored in 6 of Hoffenheim's last 9 Europa League encounters.
- The club has scored at least one goal in 6 of their last 8 away games in this tournament.
Braga vs. Hoffenheim: Match Prediction
In the Europa League, Braga has demonstrated confidence at home: the Portuguese side has not lost in 12 of their last 15 matches at the Estádio Municipal de Braga (10 wins, 2 draws). Their only home defeat this season in the Europa League was against Bodø/Glimt (1-2), but in that match, Carlos Carvalhal's team played with a man down for over 20 minutes and narrowly missed a draw, conceding in the 94th minute. Interestingly, two years ago in the Europa League, Braga faced a German team at home and secured a victory against Union Berlin (1-0).
Hoffenheim's away matches in the Europa League have been less successful – the German club has not won in 6 of their last 8 away games (3 draws, 3 losses). In the 2024/25 Europa League, the team has yet to win on the road: in the first round, Hoffenheim salvaged a draw against Midtjylland (1-1), and in their next away game in the second-tier European competition, they lost to another Portuguese team, Porto (0-2).
The head-to-head statistics of the upcoming opponents are also noteworthy: Braga won both previous meetings – 2-1 and 3-1. I believe the hosts have a better chance of prevailing in this match, so my prediction: Braga with a handicap (0)
