2. Bundesliga preview: Hannover 96 vs. Eintracht Braunschweig
· Yahoo Sports
With the business end of the 2. Bundesliga season fast approaching, both sides head into this Lower Saxony derby with plenty on the line - albeit at opposite ends of the table. Christian Titz’s Hannover continue their push for promotion, while Lars Kornetka’s Braunschweig are battling to steer clear of danger, setting the stage for a fiercely contested encounter.
Hannover have remained firmly in the promotion picture, losing just twice in their nine league outings in 2026. That consistency has seen them climb to 5th place on 46 points, now sitting just two points adrift of the top three.
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They showed admirable resilience last time out in a dramatic 2-2 draw away to league leaders Schalke. Trailing at the break following goals from Edin Džeko and Kenan Karaman, the game turned following Džeko’s red card. Hannover capitalised on the numerical advantage, with Maik Nawrocki pulling one back before Benedikt Pichler salvaged a point deep into stoppage time with a 98th-minute header.
Despite their strong overall form, Hannover’s home record has been somewhat inconsistent. They rank 9th in the division on home soil, collecting 20 points from 12 matches, and will be eager to respond after a surprise 2-1 defeat to struggling Greuther Fürth in their last outing at the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena.
Braunschweig, meanwhile, enter a new chapter at a critical stage of the campaign. The club opted to part ways with Heiner Backhaus amid growing relegation concerns, with Lars Kornetka tasked with guiding them to safety. They currently sit 13th on 29 points, holding a slender three-point cushion over the relegation play-off spot.
Kornetka made an immediate impact in his first game in charge, overseeing a crucial victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf. Braunschweig looked far more threatening in attack, creating a number of clear chances and arguably deserving a more comfortable margin of victory. Robin Heußer’s strike just after the hour proved decisive, ending a five-game winless run.
However, their away form remains a major concern. Braunschweig have picked up just 11 points from 12 matches on the road and are still searching for their first away win of 2026. Improving that record will be essential if they are to pull further clear of the drop zone.
Team news
Hannover 96: Boris Tomiak is expected to miss out.
Eintracht Braunschweig: Patrick Nkoa remains suspended, while Lukas Frenkert, Lino Tempelmann and Anas Bakhat are all unavailable.
H-2-H record
Hannover claimed a convincing 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture back in October, with Benjamin Källman netting twice before Daisuke Yokota added a third. Braunschweig have not won away at Hannover since 1993 and have managed just one victory across the last five meetings between the sides.
Predicted lineups
Hannover 96 (3-4-3): Noll (GK) - Allgeier, Ghiță, Nawrocki - Neubauer, Leopold, Aseko Nkili, Oudenne - Chakroun, Pichler, Yokota
Eintracht Braunschweig (4-2-3-1): Hoffmann (GK) - Aydin, Ehlers, Hoti, Di Michele Sanchez - Marie, Flick - Ranos, Heußer, Gomez - Mijatović