Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick has labelled tomorrow's home game against Nurnberg as "decisive" for his team.

After two consecutive defeats, Hoffenheim risk losing touch with the top five in the Bundesliga with another negative outcome, which is why only three points will do against the league strugglers tomorrow.

"We want to win and get in touch with the leading teams," said Rangnick at a press conference.

"This game is decisive for us. Our team has enough self-confidence to beat Nurnberg."

Self-confidence should not be a problem for Nurnberg either after they won for only the second time this season last weekend.

A 3-0 victory over Hertha Berlin will have put them in a better frame of mind for this trip, when they will be seeking their first points on the road this season, and Rangnick has been warned.

"They will be far more attack-minded and will take more risks," Rangnick predicted.

"But we are at home and want to keep the three points here in Sinsheim."

Demba Ba, Andreas Beck, Matthias Jaissle and Tobias Weis are all still unavailable, but Per Nilsson is in the squad despite breaking his hand against Mainz last weekend.

Nurnberg make their first ever visit to the Rhein-Neckar Arena having last played Hoffenheim at home in the DFB-Pokal earlier this season, losing 1-0.

But there has been change since that game and the Bavarians are now finding their feet back in the top flight and have moved out of the bottom three.

"We have gained more self-confidence and now want to let this carry us forward," said their coach Michael Oenning.

He can name an unchanged team to the one which defeated Berlin last weekend.