The Bundesliga returns to action this weekend, with Hoffenheim hosting Bayern Munich on Friday for the first match of Round 18. Hoffenheim were in not very good shape before the break but that sometimes changes after a break. Bayern Munich were in excellent shape and should pick up where they left off.
Hoffenheim (6-4-7) entered the winter break after splitting the points in a 1-1 home draw against Mainz. They were much better in that match but their opponents pulled even at the 16th minute and the result didn’t change. Hoffenheim were in a pathetic, eight-match win-less streak before the break (0-2-6), keeping just a single clean sheet in that span. They are now sitting at the 7th spot of the league table with 25 points, two behind Frankfurt and the top-six. They have been really hard to beat at home (3-2-4), but are win-less in their last four there (0-1-3).
Bayern Munich (11-3-3) were clinical in their finishing in their last match, where they blasted Frankfurt by 3-0 on the road. That was the third consecutive win for Bayern Munich (all with clean sheets), and their sixth in their last seven (6-0-1). They are now sitting at the 2nd spot of the Bundesliga with 36 points, six behind Dortmund and three ahead of Gladbach. Bayern Munich have the best away record in the league (7-2-0) and are undefeated in their last five (3-0-2).
