Relegation-threatened Schalke 04 will travel to SNP Arena on Sunday, hoping to catch floundering Bundesliga opponents Hoffenheim off guard before the international break.

Die Kraichgauer are looking for a first win in four games, while Die Knappen are desperate to avoid a fifth defeat in six matches.

Match preview

Christian Ilzer's Hoffenheim were surprise contenders for Champions League football last season, and though they fell agonisingly short by finishing fifth, the club were aiming to build on that success.

However, Die Kraichgauer have endured a campaign of fluctuations, kicking off this term by losing four of their first five Bundesliga clashes before recording a trio of successive victories in the middle of last month.

Unfortunately for Ilzer, the pendulum of his team's form has swung back towards the negative once again, as the hosts prepare for this contest having failed to come out on top in any of their last three matches across all competitions.

On Thursday, Hoffenheim suffered their latest frustration when they conceded a 91st-minute equaliser in a 1-1 Europa League draw with Crystal Palace, who had been reduced to 10 men when Adam Wharton was shown a second yellow card.

In the two games prior, Die Kraichgauer were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal in a penalty shootout against second-tier Holstein Kiel, before a 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen last weekend.

That Halloween loss at the Weserstadion has left Ilzer's men 13th in the table with nine points, a tally hardly provides security considering the club are sitting just two points above 16th-placed Union Berlin and three above their opponents in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Miron Muslic's Schalke lifted the 2.Bundesliga title last term en route to their top-flight return, but they have fared the worst of any of the three promoted teams.

Die Knappen are 17th with only six points to their name after eight matches, and unless they avoid defeat, the club could find themselves at the bottom of the table for the international break, given they are just two points ahead of a rejuvenated Borussia Monchengladbach.

That fear could become reality on Sunday, with Muslic's side arriving in Sinsheim having lost four of their past five games across all competitions, including a 2-0 defeat to RB Leipzig last Saturday.

To make matters worse, the visitors are the lowest scorers in the entirety of the Bundesliga with four goals, and have blanked in each of their four most recent outings.

Schalke head to SNP Arena as significant underdogs and with little in the way of a silver lining to inspire hope, but Hoffenheim have been far from perfect this season, and Die Knappen know that a surprise win would likely lift them out of the bottom two, given that Union face Frieburg.

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

Hoffenheim form (all competitions):

Schalke 04 Bundesliga form:

Schalke 04 form (all competitions):

Team News

Hoffenheim manager Ilzer made it clear that the team have a number of players whose readiness will be decided upon closer to kick off, including right-back Vladimir Coufal (thigh) and versatile attacker Adam Hlozek (muscle).

The hosts are missing a slew of defenders, though, with Albian Hajdari (plantar fascia), Robin Hranac (meniscus) and Valentin Gendrey (fractured fibula) all unavailable, so Koki Machida and Ozan Kabak could start at the heart of Ilzer's backline, flanked by Bernardo and 18-year-old Natnael Abraha.

Midfielders Bambase Conte and Nathan De Cat are also sidelined due to respective adductor and meniscus injuries, though Wouter Burger and Leon Avdullahu should be on hand to start in the centre of the park, platforming Fisnik Asllani in the number 10 role.

Further forward, winger Patrick Wimmer is dealing with a muscle injury, but Alexander Prass and Adam Daghim will be ready to support striker Tim Lemperle up top.

As for Schalke, they are also missing defenders, with right-back Adrian Gantenbein (muscle) and centre-back Maximilian Wober (thigh) out, and the duo of Nikola Katic and Hasan Kurucay expected to be joined by Timo and Vitalie Becker in their absence.

Janik Bachmann and fellow midfielder Ron Schallenberg are also dealing with hip and leg injuries, leaving Satoshi Tanaka and Soufiane El-Faouzi to start behind Kenan Karaman.

Elsewhere, striker Moussa Sylla could return from his left leg problem after the international break, but veteran Edin Dzeko looks set to lead the line on Sunday.

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Abraha, Machida, Kabak, Bernardo; Burger, Avdullahu; Prass, Asllani, Daghim; Lemperle

Schalke 04 possible starting lineup:

Karius; T Becker, Katic, Kurucay, V Becker; Tanaka, El-Faouzi; Ljubicic, Karaman, Aouchiche; Dzeko

We say: Hoffenheim 2-0 Schalke 04

Hoffenheim have struggled once again in recent weeks, but they will be quietly confident about their chances of beating one of the division's relegation favourites on Sunday.

Schalke's troubles in front of goal are well-documented, and it would be a surprise to see them find the back of the net, never mind walk away with anything from this clash.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.