Holstein Kiel play their inaugural Bundesliga game when they travel to the PreZero Arena to play Hoffenheim on Saturday.
The hosts will be expecting to take all three points here, but the away side have a chance to prove any doubters wrong and take an almighty scalp on their Bundesliga debut.
Match preview
© Imago
The hosts come into this game after a cup scare, having needed penalties to overcome Regionalliga side Wurzburger Kickers in the first round of the DFB-Pokal following a 2-2 draw.
It is a timely reminder for the hosts that they cannot afford to underestimate Saturday's opponents, especially when last season their defensive frailties were clear having shipped 66 goals in the Bundesliga.
Manager Pellegrino Matarazzo is entering his second full season as Hoffenheim manager, and the American will be hoping that his defence is more secure this term if his side are to push on further than their seventh-place finish last term.
Pellegrino is known for his high-pressing style, fast transitions and exciting football, but perhaps more caution will be needed if Hoffenheim are to shore up their defence and push up the table.
Hoffenheim have also sold young forward Maximilian Beier to Borussia Dortmund in this transfer window, so there will be pressure on the shoulders of the incoming Adam Hlozek to replace the 16 goals Beier managed in last season's Bundesliga.
In what is sure to be a special occasion for Holstein Kiel, Marcel Rapp's side have an opportunity to prove that they can cut it in the Bundesliga in what will be their maiden outing.
Holstein Kiel finished last season in second on 68 points in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring 65 goals in the process and conceding 39 times.
The visitors come into this game on the back of a 3-2 away win at Alemannia Aachen in the DFB-Pokal, courtesy of Shuto Machino and a late Lasse Rosenboom brace.
While Die Storche will have their work cut out for them this season, they have strengthened their team with a number of new signings under the age of 23, with the likes of Armin Gigovic and Magnus Knudsen being added to their midfield ranks from FC Rostov.
Holstein Kiel do have goals in their ranks too, with the trio of Steven Skrzybski, Benedikt Pichler and Timo Becker contributing 26 goals between each other last season, and fans of Tottenham Hotspur will recognise a certain Lewis Holtby; the midfielder spent two years at White Hart Lane without ever cementing a prolonged run in the first team.
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Team News
Hoffenheim have a number of injury concerns heading into their first league game, with Ozan Kabak being a long-term absentee with a cruciate ligament tear sustained in June.
Elsewhere, David Jurasek (arm), Umut Tohumcu (muscle), Ihlas Bebou (knee), Tom Bischof (capsular ligament) and Finn Ole Becker (meniscus) are all expected to miss out here.
The visitors also have a few issues, with Colin Kleine-Bekel still out from last season's cruciate ligament injury.
There are also doubts over the fitness of Carl Johansson and Skrzybski, who both missed Holstein Kiel's 3-2 win in the cup last weekend.
Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Drexler, Stach, Akpoguma; Kaderabek, Geiger, Grillitsch, Prass; Berisha; Kramaric, Bulter
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Weiner; Becker, Ivezic, Erras; Porath, Remberg, Holtby, Puchacz; Machino; Pichler, Bernhardsson
We say: Hoffenheim 2-1 Holstein Kiel
Anything other than a Hoffenheim win would come as a shock, but it remains to be seen whether the hosts have tightened up their leaky defence from last season.
The visitors have also shown in pre-season that they are a side that do not concede many goals or chances, and we expect this game to be tighter than some might think.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
