Crystal Palace vs. Hoffenheim: UEFA Europa League live blog and preview

Hoffenheim are aiming for back-to-back wins in the league phase of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League as they visit Crystal Palace for Matchday 4 on Thursday (kick-off: 6.45pm CET).

Hoffenheim got their first points of the European campaign last time out with a superb 3-0 win at home to Lyon, having previously lost 2-0 at OFI Crete and 3-2 against Beşiktaş. It leaves Christian Ilzer’s men in 23rd place, which would mean a knockout play-off berth, going into Matchday 4.

Palace qualified for the Europa League after lifting the 2025/26 Conference League in Leipzig, despite finishing 15th in the English Premier League. Pierre Sage’s side opened the league phase with a 4-0 win over Lech Poznań, before a 3-2 defeat at Lyon. Last time out they drew 2-2 at Beşiktaş to place 15th in the standings.

Follow the match below!

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Crystal Palace

Thu, 05.11 16:45

Hoffenheim

Europa League
League phase, Matchday 4 League phase, Matchday 4 Selhurst Park

Palace under pressure

Despite getting the better of London rivals Fulham to reach the EFL Cup quarter-finals last week, the pressure is on Palace and head coach Pierre Sage. Defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend was their sixth in nine Premier League games this season and leaves them third from bottom.

© IMAGO/Wired Photos/Shutterstock

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Watch: Bremen 2-0 Hoffenheim - highlights

After a welcome run of three wins in all competitions, Hoffenheim endured a week to forget. Christian Ilzer's side exited the DFB Cup on penalties to Bundesliga 2's Holstein Kiel before going down 2-0 at Werder Bremen, slipping to 12th in the Bundesliga standings as a result.

Crystal Palace: the story so far

Last season's UEFA Conference League winners beat Lech Poznań 4-0 in their opening Europa League fixture, before losing 3-2 to Lyon and drawing 2-2 with Beşiktaş. A point better off than Hoffenheim ahead of matchday 4, the Londoners find themselves among the eight seeded knockout phase play-off positions.

© IMAGO

Hoffenheim: the story so far

After respective 2-0 and 3-2 defeats to OFI and Beşiktaş, Hoffenheim got their Europa League campaign up and running with a 3-0 home win over Lyon. The Sinsheim club currently occupy an unseeded knockout phase play-off berth, but still have 15 league-phase points still to play for.

© THOMAS KIENZLE

Welcome!

Follow all the build-up and live action as Hoffenheim visit English Premier League side Crystal Palace in their fourth fixture of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League league phase (kick-off: 6.45pm CET).

About the clubs

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