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Erik ten Hag will take charge of his first Bundesliga game when his Bayer Leverkusen side host Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon. Up to three players could make their league debut for the club: Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah and Ibrahim Maza. There will also be places on the bench for Axel Tape, Claudio Echeverri, Ernest Poku, Farid Alfa-Ruprecht and Christian Kofane.
However, Leverkusen will have to do without Victor Boniface. The Nigerian forward is nearing a loan move to Milan with a €30m option to buy, meaning Maza and Nathan Tella will likely support Patrik Schick – who recently signed a contract extension – in attack. Midweek arrival Loic Badé is also absent, as is Malik Tillman (Calf), Jonas Hofmann and Exequiel Palacios (Thigh).
Christian Ilzer will be hoping for consistency this season after Hoffenheim struggled last campaign. And it’s a new look attack for the Sinsheim club with Fisnik Asllani returning following a successful loan spell at 2. Bundesliga side Elversberg, where he scored 18 goals. He is expected to be joined in attack by summer signing Tim Lemperle, with Andrej Kramaric supporting the duo.
Koki Machida, Bernardo, Leon Avdullahu and Wouter Burger should also make their Bundesliga debuts.
Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim Predicted Lineups
Bayer Leverkusen (3-4-3): Flekken – Quansah, Tapsoba, Hincapie – Arthur, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo – Maza, Tella – Schick.
Hoffenheim (4-2-2-2): Baumann – Coufal, Chaves, Machida, Bernardo – Avdullahu, Burger – Kramaric, Touré – Lemperle, Asllani.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
