Teams on a par at Castroper Straße?
To the second leg of the Bundesliga. VfL Bochum have very often proved to be an asset in the top flight during the first 17 match days and are now aiming to be a part of the elite division again next year. On Sunday, the Revierklub will close the 18th matchday with a clash against VfL Wolfsburg – a duel of equals, in our opinion.
VfL Bochum are in twelfth place in the table. That sounds very good and comfortable at first, but the picture is deceptive. The cushion to the relegation place is only four points. The best way for Thomas Reis’ team to get back into a flow is to start directly with a win against the Wolves.
The Lower Saxons have the same goal. Wolfsburg are even one place below the promoted team in the table, but only by two goals. This means that between Bochum and Wolfsburg the prediction is also a bit of a matter of luck.
For Florian Kohfeldt’s team, this constellation is a disaster. Just a few weeks ago, the Wolves were playing in the Champions League and that’s exactly where they should be heading again this season. At the moment, we wouldn’t bet on the Lower Saxons reaching international competition before the second leg between Bochum and Wolfsburg.
Bochum – Statistics & current form
What the Revierklub has achieved in the first half of the season is certainly something to be proud of. Of course, VfL had disappeared into the second division for a long time, but nevertheless the 20 points after 17 matchdays are the best value for the Bochum side in 18 years. A few years of which the formerly relegated side spent in the first Bundesliga.
Strong defence in home games
The VfL is especially strong at home this season. Only six goals conceded in home games are the second best value in the league. However, things didn’t quite go according to plan before the short winter break. They only got one point from their last three games. Nevertheless, the strong home games in the Hinrunde give more reason to check the odds on a home win between Bochum and Wolfsburg.
Immediately before Christmas, Thomas Reis’ side, who had been brilliant on the road before, first suffered defeat in Bielefeld and then also conceded their first loss at home since mid-September when they were beaten 1-0 by Union Berlin, although they were at least equal.
Thomas Reis will have to cope with a few absences on Sunday. Danny Blum is still behind in training. Simon Zoller is not yet ready after tearing his cruciate ligament. Erhan Masovic will have to serve a suspension after receiving his fifth yellow card. However, only one Bochum player, Konstantinos Stafylidis, is currently in quarantine.
Predicted line-up of Bochum:
Riemann – Gamboa, Bella Kotchap, Leitsch, Danilo Soares – Losilla – Löwen, Rexhbecaj, Asano, Holtmann – Polter – Coach: Reis
Last matches played by Bochum:
1st Bundesliga
12/18 2021 – Vfl Bochum 0 – 1 Union Berlin
12/14 2021 – Arminia Bielefeld 2 – 0 Vfl Bochum
12/11 2021 – Vfl Bochum 1 – 1 Borussia Dortmund
12/04 2021 – Augsburg 2 – 3 Vfl Bochum
11/27 2021 – Vfl Bochum 2 – 1 SC Freiburg
Wolfsburg – Statistics & current form
It’s actually unbelievable how a team as strong as VfL Wolfsburg can collapse like this. Mark van Bommel’s methods as coach can hardly have been the only reason. Injury misfortune has certainly also played its part in what has been a poor season up to this point, and there may be other internal reasons.
Wolves’ losing streak
What is clear to outsiders, however, is the results crisis in which the Lower Saxons find themselves. The last seven competitive games have all been lost. The good start under Florian Kohfeldt has almost been forgotten. In this condition, we dare not predict a victory for the visitors in the clash between Bochum and Wolfsburg.
Before the winter break, Bayern gave them another lesson. However, the Munich side had to do without numerous regular players and yet it was actually clear after the 1:0 in the seventh minute that there would be nothing for the Wolves to reap. In the end, the scoreboard showed a 0:4 defeat. A contemplative Christmas certainly looks different.
In terms of personnel, things are not looking good for the Lower Saxons. With Ginczek, Lukebakio and Vranckx, three players are in domestic quarantine. Paulo Otavio, Xaver Schlager, William and Lukas Nmecha are injured. But maybe Joshua Guilavogui will make the squad with a special mask after his broken nose.
Predicted Wolfsburg line-up:
Casteels – Lacroix, Bornauw, Brooks – Baku, Arnold, Gerhardt, Roussillon – Philipp Waldschmidt – Weghorst – Coach: Kohfeldt
Last matches played by Wolfsburg:
Friendly club matches
01/04 2022 – Vfl Wolfsburg 5 – 4 Paderborn
1st Bundesliga
12/17 2021 – Bayern Munich 4 – 0 Vfl Wolfsburg
12/14 2021 – Vfl Wolfsburg 2 – 3 1. FC Köln
12/11 2021 – Vfl Wolfsburg 0 – 2 VfB Stuttgart
Champions League Grp. G
12/08 2021 – Vfl Wolfsburg 1 – 3 Lille
Bochum – Wolfsburg Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
28 times the two teams from Bochum and Wolfsburg have crossed paths so far. The direct comparison speaks in favour of the Revierklub with 13:11 victories. Only four times did they part with a draw. The Wolves have won the last two encounters. Goals are assured, as there has never been a 0:0 between these two teams.
Since 1997, when the Lower Saxons were promoted to the Bundesliga, Bochum have not won more often against any other club in the top flight. The first leg at the Volkswagen Arena, however, went to the Wolves. Wout Weghorst missed a penalty early on, but the Dutchman was still on hand to score the goal of the day in a 1-0 home win.
Bochum – Wolfsburg Tip
Both teams are level on points ahead of this second-round opener, but while Bochum can be very happy with 20 points as a promoted team, 20 points is a disaster given Wolves’ ambitions. Florian Kohfeldt’s team looked completely unsettled before the winter break and have lost seven competitive games in a row.
We see it the other way round, because Bochum are very strong at Castroper Straße. They get their points there and hardly concede any goals. That’s why we’re more inclined to bet on a home win between Bochum and Wolfsburg
Even though the break was only short with three weeks, there are always one or two question marks behind a new start into a new year. That’s why we remain cautious in our bets on this match. In the end, we decided to play the betting odds on the double chance 1X between Bochum and Wolfsburg.
