TSG Hoffenheim vs. Schalke 04 preview: Underachievers clash in last game before international break

Schalke will hope to end their abysmal run before the international break as they face fellow strugglers Hoffenheim away from home.

After three away games in a week, Christian Ilzer's men will be back at SNP Arena on Sunday night. The Sinsheim side failed to win those fixtures in three different competitions. The defeat in Bremen ended a two-game winning streak in Bundesliga, days after they were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal by 2. Bundesliga outfit Holstein Kiel.

And, on Thursday, they were very close to upset Europa Conference League winners Crystal Palace before an injury-time strike by former Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada undone them. However, Hoffenheim won their last two home games 3-0 against Lyon and Bayer Leverkusen.

Adam Hložek and Vladimir Coufal weren't in the traveling squad in London, but they both could make their return on Sunday. Alexander Prass, who scored Hoffenheim's goal against Palace, will be back after missing last week's defeat to Bremen due to suspension.

Since the return of club football from October's international break, Schalke 04 have only picked up a single point in the Bundesliga. Miron Muslić's men were also knocked out of the cup by 2. Bundesliga club Dynamo Dresden as they only scored one goal in their last six competitive games.

On matchday 8, Schalke's search for a first home goal was unsuccessful as they were dominated from start to finish by RB Leipzig, who lost all their previous away matches until that point. Schalke's next two games at Veltins Arena will also be against Champions League participants VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund.

Soufiane El-Faouzi and Robin Gosens returned to training weeks after their head collision in the goalless draw with Köln. As it usually happens with out-of-form clubs, Muslić will be expected to once again make multiple changes to his starting lineup.

Hoffenheim were victorious in each of the last four meetings with Schalke, who returned to top-flight football this term. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leroy Sane were on target when the Royal Blues last won at Hoffenheim nearly a decade ago.