There have been nine penalties and eight sending-offs in the 30 competitive meetings between TSG Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund. Only one match has ended goalless. Here is the facts preview.

The scenario: Both clubs have started the season with three wins and one defeat; not only do both teams have nine points on the board, they both have a goal difference of +3 too. BVB have three wins and one draw to their name from the last four meetings with TSG.

Home/away: Borussia Dortmund have scored at least one goal in each of their last 36 Bundesliga home games and are only two matches away from equalling the club record. Hoffenheim have won only one of their last six away matches – a 3-0 victory in Leverkusen on Matchday 3. TSG finished the 2021/22 season with the ninth-best away record (five wins, three draws and nine defeats).

Head-to-head record: Following two draws and a defeat, the Black & Yellows returned to winning ways on home turf against TSG last season (see below) – their seventh victory in 14 clashes at the Strobelallee. BVB also won the return fixture 3-2 (also see below) and completed the double over Hoffenheim for the first time since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2008. Overall, BVB have the better head-to-head record with 11 wins (10 draws and seven defeats), although Hoffenheim have only scored one goal fewer than Dortmund in their meetings (44-43). The 14 Bundesliga meetings between the teams at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK have produced five red cards (three for Hoffenheim) and seven penalties (three for BVB).

Last season: Borussia Dortmund took the lead three times (Reyna, Bellingham, Haaland) in this exhilarating Friday evening fixture, in which all the goals came in the second half. Hoffenheim restored parity through Dabbur in the 90th minute, but they had no answer to the winning goal which came deep into stoppage time when Haaland slotted home to seal the 3-2 victory. Hoffenheim were clearly superior in the return fixture (57% possession, 14-4 shots) and still came away empty-handed; there was no other game in 2021/22 in which BVB registered so few attempts.

Statistics: The Black & Yellows have scored at least one goal in each of their past 32 Bundesliga matches (home/away). Hoffenheim have found the net in every game this season. Only three teams have scored more goals than TSG (eight).

Biggest home win: There have been three 3-1 wins, most recently on 28 February 2016. The visitors opened the scoring through Sebastian Rudy in the 25th minute, but BVB turned the game on its head in the closing stages through Henrikh Mkhitaryan (80), Adrian Ramos (85) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (90).
Compiled by Boris Rupert