After going three games minus victory around mid-November, Borussia Dortmund have steadily picked form lately.
And with the other sides in the top five inconsistent, Lucien Favre’s side have gotten themselves back into the running for this season’s Bundesliga title.
At the start of match-day 17, BVB sits 4th on the log, just four points off the top of the standings.
Three victories and two draws in the past five games have seen Dortmund collect 11 points out of a possible 15, the third-best record in the division in that period.
They drew 3-3 with RB Leipzig on Tuesday in a game that they will feel they let three vital points slip away as they at some point comfortably led 2-0.
However, it could have been worse for them. A Leipzig victory could have put Dortmund seven points off the top, a situation that would have been disastrous for the Yellow and Blacks’ faithful.
The front three of Jadon Sancho, Marco Rues and Thorgan Hazard have finally clicked and look unstoppable at the moment.
The three have scored 13 times in the last five games, contributing over 75% of Dortmund’s goals in that period.
If they can have a good day away to Hoffenheim on Friday night, three more points could be on-card for BVB who would, in turn, climb into third, just a point off top spot for at least 18 hours as Gladbach and Leipzig play on Saturday.
However, it will not be an easy contest for Dortmund as they come up against a Hoffenheim side that returned to winning ways last time out.
Alfred Schreuder’s side had gone four games without a victory prior to Tuesday as they picked just a point out of a possible 12.
Then went on to beat Union Berlin 2-0 away from home and will surely be motivated for their home fixture on Friday.
They will however have to be without the influential duo of Ishak Belfodil and Swiss international Steven Zubar.
Dortmund too has injury concerns as Rues along with Sancho is doubtful while Axel Witsel, Marcelo Schmelzer and Tomas Delaney are ruled out.
Last season, both of their meetings ended in draws with the reverse fixture at the PreZero Arena ending 1-1.
This fixture has not produced an away victory in six years and Dortmund last triumphed on Hoffenheim tuff in December 2012.
All the German Bundesliga match-day 17
Friday, 20-12-2019
-Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund @10:30pm
Saturday, 21-12-2019
-Bayern Munich vs Wolfsburg
-RB Leipzig vs Augsburg
-Mainz O5 vs Bayer Leverkusen
-Schalke O4 vs Freiburg
-Koln vs Werder Bremen
-Hertha Berlin vs Borussia Monchengladbach
Sunday, 22-12-2019
-Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Union Berlin
-Paderborn vs Eintrancht Frankfurt
