Arminia vs Hoffenheim: Will the 2008/09 scenario repeat itself?

One of the matches in the fifth round of the Bundesliga will be between Arminia and Hoffenheim. The Blue and Whites are the favourites in the pairing, and you probably can’t argue with the line-up.

After their success in the German Cup, the Bielefeld-based side defeated Bayreuth 6-3, Arminia played four games in the domestic championship, three of which ended in a draw while losing to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Three points allow Arminia to sit outside the relegation zone, but the Bielefeld side is only a goal difference ahead of relegation-threatened Hertha. That means that, after the fifth round, Arminia could already be among the three underdogs.

After the disappointing season last season, Hoffenheim have ambitious goals this season. Getting into the top four will undoubtedly be a problem for Hoffenheim, but a top-seven finish looks feasible if they win the German Cup. The Blue and Whites started the season with two wins, then they drew with Union and lost twice, to Dortmund and Mainz. Before the start of the fifth Bundesliga round, Hoffenheim are in ninth place, three points behind sixth-placed Bayer.

Arminia and Hoffenheim drew twice last season, and Hoffenheim beat the Bielefelders twice the season before. We believe that this season will repeat the scenario of the 2008/09 campaign. Hoffenheim looked good against Borussia, and in case the Blue and Whites can play at a similar level against Arminia, we doubt that Arminia will have chances for success in Saturday’s match. We want to put our money on the following outcomes: W2 for 2.08, Total Under (3) for 1.71, W2+Total Under (3.5) for 2.80.