Schalke 04 welcome Hoffenheim at VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen on Saturday, Mar 13 at 3:30 PM in a Bundesliga fixture that's tighter on paper than the positions suggest — just 2 points split them in the table.

Schalke 04 come into this fixture in mixed form (1W 2D 1L). Hoffenheim travel struggling badly (1W 3L in last 4), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

Despite playing at home, Schalke 04 face a side that has dominated this fixture historically. Hoffenheim have won 6 of 10 encounters, with 2 draws. Their last encounter ended in Schalke 04 won 0–2. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 4.2 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Schalke 04 a slight edge, but Hoffenheim are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.