TSG Hoffenheim vs. Borussia Dortmund preview: European hopefuls to recover from tough start

In a preview of the upcoming match between TSG Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund, the European hopefuls, Hoffenheim, had a challenging start to the season. The visitors suffered a 3-2 defeat against FC Köln on their opening weekend, with Thijs Dallinga and Said El Mala leading the charge for the hosts. Hoffenheim had taken an early lead, scoring through Adam Daghim and Ozan Kabak, but Köln were able to respond with three second-half goals, leaving Hoffenheim empty-handed.

For the next match, Hoffenheim will be without Tim Lemperle and Fisnik Asllani, who are currently recovering from injuries and suspensions respectively. However, Tim Lemperle will return this weekend after serving his suspension, while Asllani will need at least another week to regain full fitness following his failed move to RB Leipzig.

Alexander Prass, who is yet to return to the team, may make his comeback in the upcoming match against Stuttgart, which could be crucial for Hoffenheim's hopes of picking up their first win of the campaign.

On the other side, Borussia Dortmund started their season strongly with a 2-0 victory over Hamburger SV. However, their progress was hampered by the injury to Serhou Guirassy, who suffered an ACL injury to his left knee and will miss a significant portion of the season. Giannis Konstantelias, who replaced Guirassy, was also injured during the match, ruling him out for a large part of the campaign.

To replace Konstantelias, Borussia Dortmund signed Englishman Ethan Nwaneri, who had previously spent time on loan at Marseille.

Additionally, Borussia Dortmund secured their spot in the next round of the DFB-Pokal on transfer deadline day, with a 5-0 win against HEBC Hamburg. As for Hoffenheim, they face a tough challenge against Dortmund, who have a strong defensive record. Both teams will be keen to recover from their tough start to the season and secure a win to kick-start their campaigns.