Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim: Prediction, Tips and Odds | Europa League

Crystal Palace, 18th in the Premier League after six defeats in nine games, look to the Europa League for some relief when they host Hoffenheim at Selhurst Park on Thursday, kicking off at 5:45pm.

A win would lift Pierre Sage's side to seven points in the league phase, level with the teams in sixth, seventh and eighth, while the visitors will be hoping to solidify their spot in the top 24.

Preview: Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim and form guide

Palace have lost their last three Premier League games without scoring, conceding nine in defeats against Brighton (5-0), Newcastle (2-0) and Tottenham (2-0) that left the club in the bottom three and the manager under serious pressure.

Europe has been kinder to the Eagles, who have bagged eight goals in three league phase games, with Yeremy Pino on the scoresheet during every match, including their 4-0 opening win over Lech Poznan at Selhurst Park.

Sage replaced Oliver Glasner in June and has faced intensifying scrutiny since the humiliating defeat away to rivals Brighton, although he said after the Tottenham game that he would never give up.

Palace have come out on top in one of their last five outings across all competitions, 1-0 away to Fulham in the Carabao Cup, though after falling to defeat against Spurs following Jean-Philippe Mateta's 13th-minute red card, Sunday's showdown against Liverpool looks particularly daunting.

With that in mind, the boss will be desperate for a positive result on Thursday, not only for his team's Europa League hopes, but for the sake of his own job security.

Hoffenheim sit 12th in the Bundesliga after five defeats in eight games, and their DFB-Pokal exit on penalties against Holstein Kiel was followed days later by another loss, to 2-0 Werder Bremen on Saturday.

In the Europa League, Die Kraichgauer were beaten 2-0 at OFI Crete and 3-2 at home to Besiktas before beating Lyon 3-0 at home, a result they matched with a 3-0 league win against Bayer Leverkusen on October 25.

Christian Ilzer's side have mustered five Europa League goals so far, all of which have come from different scorers, with Koki Machida, Adam Hlozek, Fisnik Asllani, Adam Daghim and Andrej Kramaric each getting in on the action.

On one hand, that spread showcases that Hoffenheim can pose a threat from a variety of positions, but also highlights the absence of a reliable source of goals in Europe.

Readers who want to back a selection should compare the best UK bookmakers for football betting or browse the best new UK gambling websites first.

Team news and predicted lineups for Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim

Crystal Palace team news

Quinten Timber and Jorgen Strand Larsen are both expected to be ready after recovering from injury.

Mateta's three-match suspension for the red card against Tottenham applies only to domestic games, so he will be available to lead the line, although his appeal was rejected and he will miss the league fixtures against Liverpool, Coventry and Hull.

The Frenchman scored in Istanbul on his first start since the Premier League's opening day, so he keeps his place ahead of Strand Larsen in our predicted line-up.

Dean Henderson started against Tottenham but Walter Benitez, who has started all three league phase games, is the expected goalkeeper for Thursday's clash.

Crystal Palace predicted lineup vs Hoffenheim

Probable XI: Benitez; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Mitchell, Kamada, Wharton, Khalaili; Pino, McNeil; Mateta

Hoffenheim team news

The injury list has hit Hoffenheim's defence hardest, with Valentin Gendrey, Robin Hranac and Albian Hajdari all missing, leaving 18-year-old Natnael Abraha at right-back after his start against Werder Bremen.

Bambase Conte is out with an adductor problem and Vladimir Coufal is doubtful with a thigh issue, while Patrick Wimmer and Nathan De Cat are also sidelined.

Adam Hlozek is out with a muscle injury, so Tim Lemperle is expected to partner Andrej Kramaric in attack.

Hoffenheim predicted lineup vs Crystal Palace

Probable XI: Baumann; Rots, Machida, Kabak, Abraha; Daghim, Burger, Avdullahu, Prass; Lemperle, Kramaric

Head-to-head: Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim

This is the first competitive meeting between the clubs, so there is no head-to-head record to draw upon, and the best guide comes from the opponents they have both faced this season.

Lyon beat Palace 3-2 in France and lost 3-0 against Hoffenheim a week later, though Besiktas beat the Bundesliga side 3-2 in Germany before drawing 2-2 with the Londoners in Istanbul.

Anyone tempted by a sign-up deal should check the terms first, and welcome promotions from licensed bookmakers are compared in our sports free bets offers guide.

Our Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim prediction and betting tips

Our Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim prediction is a 2-1 home win, with Pino in form in attack and Hoffenheim missing three defenders.

Hoffenheim have scored in four of their last five games, so Palace cannot expect a clean sheet, but the hosts have scored eight goals in Europe to Hoffenheim's five, which gives them the edge in what should be an open game.

Our bet365 sportsbook review explains how the bookmaker prices football markets, while new customers can see the current welcome terms through our bet365 bonus code for 2026 page.

Treat every selection here as an informed opinion rather than a certainty, and bet only what you can afford to lose.

Odds correct as of Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 9:25pm GMT.