TSG Hoffenheim face a confident and in-form opponent in the Europa League. Greek Cup and Supercup winners OFI Kreta travel to Sinsheim claiming an impressive defensive record.
Hoffenheim, currently 13th in the Bundesliga with three points from three games, aim to build on their 2-1 home win against VfB Stuttgart. Pellegrino Matarazzo's team have recorded two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five competitive matches. Their next Bundesliga fixture is against 15th-placed SC Paderborn 07 on Sunday, but first comes their European opener.
Kreta's historic success
OFI Kreta won the Greek Cup last season after a 39-year wait and then clinched the Supercup for the first time in their history. The club qualified for the Europa League group stage via the playoffs, defeating CSKA Sofia 3-0 and 2-0. In the Greek Super League, Kreta sit third after four matchdays, having recently secured a 1-0 win against record champions Olympiacos. In eight competitive games this season, Christos Kontis's side have kept seven clean sheets.
The 51-year-old Kontis, who took over as head coach in October 2025, has European experience as a player. As a player, he featured for Olympiacos and APOEL Nicosia and played a total of ten Champions League and eleven Europa League matches. In his first season in charge, he led OFI Kreta to the domestic cup and Supercup double.
Familiar faces in the squad
The 33-man squad, which includes 23 Greek players, features several names familiar to the Bundesliga. Striker Kenan Kodro, 33, formerly of Mainz 05, scored the winner against Olympiacos. In midfield is former Hertha BSC player Andreas Bouchalakis, an eight-time Greek champion with Olympiacos. Athanasios Androutsos, an eleven-time international, played for VfL Osnabrück in the 2. Bundesliga in 2024. Cypriot defender Christos Sielis is injured.
OFI Kreta have played their home games at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion since the 2025/26 season. The venue holds 26,240 spectators and hosted matches during the 2004 Olympic Games, including a fixture for the German women's national team. After the match in Hoffenheim, the Greek side face a challenging group with home games against Bayer Leverkusen, RSC Anderlecht and Lech Poznań, plus away trips to Stade Rennes, Hapoel Beer Sheva, Benfica Lisbon and Sturm Graz.
For Hoffenheim, weekend double goalscorer Adam Hložek is their current top scorer this season with two goals. The team will look to carry the momentum from the Stuttgart win and have a full squad available for their European debut. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:45. The remaining fixtures in the European competition can be found on the fixtures page.
This story first appeared at Sportschau
