Hjulmand wants energised Leverkusen at Hoffenheim
After their midweek match at Hamburg was postponed because of adverse weather, Bayer Leverkusen returns to Bundesliga action away to Hoffenheim on Sunday (AEDT), and boss Kasper Hjulmand wants to see renewed vigour and energy from his side.
With Leverkusen not playing, it offered the chance for this weekend's opponent to leapfrog into fifth place, having both played 16 matches.
Just seven points separate Leverkusen in sixth and second-placed Borussia Dortmund, with runaway leader Bayern Munich already 18 points clear of Hjulmand's side.
The Werkself's first league game of 2026 saw it thumped 4-1 by Stuttgart and Hjulmand revealed his players are champing at the bit to get their first win of the new year.
"We have no problems with a situation like this. It's still a busy week, so we're very familiar with it," Hjulmand said.
"We're only looking ahead positively and the postponed game has given us all the more fire, energy and anticipation. Hoffenheim are a great opponent, without a doubt.
"They have developed very well and proved that time and again from game to game. That's also a clear sign of good coaching work."
But Hjulmand acknowledged the difficulties that his team would face against Hoffenheim, despite it only being a point and a place separating the two sides in the table.
Hoffenheim has made PreZero Arena into a fortress of late. It has won its past five Bundesliga home matches, after losing five in a row before that.
It is its longest consecutive home winning run since 2021 (also five), and this is the first time it has scored at least three goals in five consecutive top-flight home matches.
"Similar to the game against Stuttgart, we can expect a lot of one-v-one moments, a lot of duels, high pressing – especially in the centre," Hjulmand warned.
"This will result in little rhythm in the game, but lots of spaces to run into."
Special attention may also be placed on Bundesliga stalwart Andrej Kramaric, who scored a hat-trick in Hoffenheim's recent big win against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
"I know him very well. We also played with Denmark against Croatia back then," Hjulmand said. "He's a great player.
"It's not just him. Above all, it's the way they play together as a team. We have trained well. Results come with the process."
