Bundesliga Showdown: Dortmund Hosts Hoffenheim in Crucial European Qualification Battle
On December 7, 2025, Borussia Dortmund will host Hoffenheim at Signal Iduna Park in a pivotal Bundesliga Matchday 13 fixture. With Dortmund currently in third place and Hoffenheim in fifth, separated by just two points, this match carries significant weight for both teams' European qualification aspirations.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
This Bundesliga Matchday 13 encounter at Signal Iduna Park holds immense importance for both home side Borussia Dortmund and visitors Hoffenheim. As of early December 2025, Dortmund sits third in the league standings, while Hoffenheim is in fifth, with only two points separating them. This makes the fixture a crucial battle for European qualification. Dortmund aims to solidify their position in the top tier, with a win potentially elevating them to second place. Hoffenheim, on the other hand, seeks to continue their positive run and close the gap on the European qualification spots, posing a challenge to the league's established contenders.
Recent Form
Borussia Dortmund's recent form has been mixed, with a record of two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five official matches. They were eliminated from the DFB-Pokal with a 0-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen but secured a 2-1 league victory against the same opponent, alongside draws against Stuttgart (3-3) and Hamburg (1-1). Hoffenheim enters this fixture in superior form, boasting an unbeaten streak of five matches, including four wins and one draw, notably a commanding 3-0 victory over FC Augsburg.
Key Players & Injury News
Borussia Dortmund's attack will heavily rely on Serhou Guirassy, who was the team's second-highest scorer in the 2024-25 season and has netted 5 goals in 11 league appearances in 2025-26. Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt are also key offensive threats, while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and defender Nico Schlotterbeck are crucial at the back. For Hoffenheim, Fisnik Asllani has been impactful with 7 goal contributions in 12 league matches this season, posing a significant challenge to Dortmund's defense. Midfielder Wouter Burger and the experienced Andrej Kramarić are also vital to their team's performance. As of now, there are no specific significant new injury reports for this particular match, but final squad availability and injury updates should be monitored closer to the match date.