Hoffenheim's latest improvement came from quicker combinations and better access inside the box. Lyon retain the passing and pace to attack behind that pressure, making midfield coordination central to this contest. The home side's established attacking links meet a visiting group changing its central finisher and parts of its supporting cast.
Prass connecting with Conté and then arriving to finish Hložek's pass showed two useful routes against Gladbach. Hoffenheim also responded promptly after conceding. Lyon's away defending has varied considerably between opponents, so their recent results do not establish one consistent way of shutting down those combinations.
Šulc started and scored against Nice but is now unavailable, alongside Openda. Fonseca has announced Himbert as the replacement and has spoken about changing the fullbacks. Nakamura and the travelling midfield creators preserve Lyon's attacking supply, while Hoffenheim retain the main players behind their latest productive combinations.
I expect Hoffenheim to push for repeated entries, with Asllani and Conté receiving support from midfield. The first substitutions should change the receiving positions and the space behind each press. The stronger continuity in those home combinations is why I'm siding with Hoffenheim to win.
