Crystal Palace won a European trophy in Leipzig five months ago. Now they’re welcoming a German opponent to Selhurst Park, and Pierre Sage could probably do with another European miracle.

The Eagles’ historic Conference League triumph was supposed to mark the beginning of an exciting new era. Instead, nine Premier League matches into the season, they’re sitting in the relegation zone with their manager already under serious pressure.

Sunday’s 2-0 defeat against Tottenham was their third consecutive league loss, leaving Palace with just seven points from nine matches. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 13th-minute dismissal hardly helped, but it was another afternoon that raised questions about where this team is heading.

The domestic numbers are particularly ugly. Palace have lost six league matches and conceded 21 goals, more than any other Premier League side.

Yet European football has provided a welcome distraction.

The Eagles opened their Europa League campaign by thrashing Lech Poznań 4-0 before suffering a 3-2 defeat against Lyon and battling back to draw 2-2 with Beşiktaş.

Yeremy Pino has been the standout performer, scoring in all three European fixtures. Palace’s attack has rarely been the problem on Thursday nights.

Hoffenheim arrive with problems of their own.

Christian Ilzer’s side sit 12th in the Bundesliga after five defeats in eight league matches, and Saturday’s 2-0 loss against Werder Bremen ended a promising three-match winning run.

Their Europa League campaign has followed a similarly unpredictable pattern. Defeats against OFI Crete and Beşiktaş left the Germans pointless after two matches, only for Hoffenheim to produce a superb 3-0 victory over Lyon.

That result was particularly impressive considering Palace had conceded three against the same opposition just a week earlier.

Andrej Kramarić was involved in all three goals against Lyon, scoring once and assisting twice. At 35, the Croatian remains Hoffenheim’s most influential attacking player.

Both sides are currently occupying Europa League knockout play-off positions, with Palace 15th on four points and Hoffenheim 23rd on three.

A victory on Thursday would provide a significant boost to either club’s European ambitions. For Sage, it might also buy him some much-needed breathing space before Liverpool visit Selhurst Park on Sunday.

With neither side particularly convincing defensively, this could be another entertaining European evening in South London.

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What are the best betting tips for Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim?

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals

Crystal Palace have been anything but convincing defensively this season, and their Europa League performances suggest another open encounter is likely.

The Eagles have conceded five goals across their last two European matches, shipping three against Lyon and two against Beşiktaş. Their Premier League defensive record is even more concerning, with 21 goals conceded in just nine fixtures.

Hoffenheim have their own problems at the back. The Germans conceded five goals in their opening two Europa League matches before recording a surprise clean sheet against Lyon.

However, both sides possess enough attacking quality to cause problems. Palace have scored eight goals in three European matches, while Hoffenheim demonstrated their attacking potential with three against Lyon. Backing both teams to score in a match featuring at least three goals looks an appealing starting point.

Yeremy Pino anytime goalscorer

If Crystal Palace’s domestic campaign has been a disappointment, Yeremy Pino’s European performances have provided one of the few genuine reasons for optimism.

The Spanish international has scored in all three of Palace’s Europa League matches this season, finding the net against Lech Poznań, Lyon and Beşiktaş.

Pino’s movement between the lines has been particularly effective, allowing him to exploit spaces behind opposing midfielders and arrive in dangerous positions around the penalty area.

Hoffenheim have conceded five goals in three European fixtures, and their defensive vulnerabilities could provide Pino with further opportunities. With the Spaniard enjoying such an impressive scoring run in Europe, backing him to extend that streak is an attractive player-market selection.

Andrej Kramarić to score or assist

Andrej Kramarić might be approaching the final stages of his career, but Hoffenheim remain heavily reliant on the Croatian’s creativity and attacking intelligence.

The 35-year-old produced an outstanding performance against Lyon in the previous Europa League round, scoring once and providing two assists in a 3-0 victory.

His ability to operate between midfield and attack could be particularly important against a Palace side that has struggled to protect its defensive line.

The Eagles have conceded 21 Premier League goals this season, while their last two Europa League matches have produced five goals against. Kramarić should find opportunities to influence the game, whether through his own finishing or by creating chances for Hoffenheim’s forwards.

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How to watch Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim

Date: Thursday, 5 November 2026

Kick-off: 5:45pm GMT (6:45pm CET)

Venue: Selhurst Park, London, England

Competition: UEFA Europa League, League Phase Matchday 4

United Kingdom: TNT Sports / discovery+ (final channel allocation to be confirmed).

United States: Paramount+, with Spanish-language coverage subject to broadcaster listings.

Canada: DAZN.

Crystal Palace predicted lineup and team news

Formation: 3-4-2-1

Predicted XI: Henderson; Canvot, Disasi, Richards; Khalaili, Wharton, Doucouré, Chilwell; Pino, Nketiah; Mateta.

Pierre Sage remains without Ismaïla Sarr, who is recovering from a groin injury, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Chadi Riad are also unavailable because of calf and knee problems respectively.

Jørgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber could return to the matchday squad after recovering from ankle and hamstring concerns, although neither is guaranteed a starting place.

Jean-Philippe Mateta is available despite his red card against Tottenham, with the striker’s suspension applying to domestic competition. He is expected to lead the line, supported by Yeremy Pino and Eddie Nketiah.

Sage could also make changes in the wing-back positions, with Anan Khalaili and Ben Chilwell pushing for recalls. Cheick Doucouré is another candidate to start alongside Adam Wharton in midfield.

Hoffenheim predicted lineup and team news

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted XI: Baumann; Abraha, Kabak, Machida, Rots; Prass, Avdullahu; Kramarić, Daghim, Lemperle; Hložek.

Christian Ilzer has several injury concerns ahead of the trip to London. Vladimir Coufal, Bambasé Conté, Patrick Wimmer, Valentin Gendrey, Albian Hajdari, Nathan De Cat and Max Moerstedt are all expected to miss out.

Alexander Prass is available again after serving a domestic suspension against Werder Bremen and could return to midfield alongside Leon Avdullahu.

Andrej Kramarić is expected to retain his attacking role following his outstanding performance against Lyon, while Adam Daghim and Tim Lemperle should provide movement and pace around him.

Adam Hložek, Hoffenheim’s leading scorer with four goals this season, is expected to spearhead the attack as the visitors look to build on their impressive European victory over Lyon.

Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim stats

• Crystal Palace sit 15th in the Europa League standings with four points from three matches.
• Hoffenheim are 23rd with three points from their opening three European fixtures.
• Palace have scored eight goals and conceded five in the Europa League this season.
• Hoffenheim have scored five goals and conceded five in their three European matches.
• All three of Palace’s Europa League fixtures have featured at least four goals.
• Palace defeated Lech Poznań 4-0 before losing 3-2 against Lyon and drawing 2-2 with Beşiktaş.
• Hoffenheim lost 2-0 against OFI Crete and 3-2 against Beşiktaş before beating Lyon 3-0.
• Yeremy Pino has scored in all three of Crystal Palace’s Europa League matches this season.
• Andrej Kramarić scored once and provided two assists against Lyon.
• Ten of Hoffenheim’s 13 competitive matches this season have featured over 2.5 goals.
• Crystal Palace have lost six of their opening nine Premier League matches.
• The Eagles have conceded 21 Premier League goals, the highest total in the division.
• Palace have lost their last three Premier League fixtures.
• Hoffenheim have lost five of their opening eight Bundesliga matches.
• Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last seven European home matches, winning five and drawing two.
• Hoffenheim have won just one of their last six European away matches.
• Hoffenheim have lost all five of their previous European meetings with English opposition.
• This will be the first competitive meeting between Crystal Palace and Hoffenheim.

Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim prediction

Palace desperately need a positive result, and their European home record suggests Selhurst Park could provide the ideal setting for a response.

The Eagles have been considerably more convincing in continental competition than in the Premier League, particularly in attack, where Yeremy Pino has emerged as their most consistent performer.

However, their defensive problems remain difficult to overlook.

Palace have conceded 21 league goals this season, while their recent European encounters against Lyon and Beşiktaş exposed similar vulnerabilities.

Hoffenheim have struggled for consistency themselves, but their 3-0 victory over Lyon demonstrated that they possess the attacking quality to trouble stronger opponents.

Kramarić should be particularly dangerous operating between Palace’s midfield and defence, while Hložek offers a goalscoring threat further forward.

The Germans’ poor record against English opposition and Palace’s unbeaten European home run make an away victory difficult to back confidently.

Nevertheless, neither side has demonstrated enough defensive reliability to suggest a comfortable evening for either goalkeeper.

I expect Palace to create plenty of opportunities, particularly through Pino and Mateta, but Hoffenheim should also find space against a defence that has struggled throughout the campaign.

Both teams have enough attacking quality to win this match. Neither has shown enough defensive discipline to convince me they will.

Score prediction: Crystal Palace 2-2 Hoffenheim

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