How confident will the FCB be in the PSG dress rehearsal?
When FC Bayern München and VfL Bochum clash on Saturday lunchtime, it will be a very special duel, especially for the fans in the stands. After all, the two camps have been linked by a fan friendship for 50 years. The Blue and Whites certainly don’t want to give the Reds any presents, although it is highly likely that Bayern will win at home against Bochum. After all, VfL have lost nine of their ten away games in the Bundesliga.
However, Bochum have been very strong recently under their new coach Thomas Letsch. The team from the city of Grönemeyer has won all five of its Bundesliga home games under the 54-year-old, who has recorded the best haul since Peter Neururer in his first twelve league games, and has taken a total of twelve points from a possible 18 in the last six games. Exactly the same number of points as the FCB in the same period. Consequently, the forecast for Bayern against Bochum is not as clear-cut as it seems.
In general, the German record champions have lost their home strength. There has not yet been a Bundesliga home defeat at the Allianz Arena in the 2022/23 season. However, there have already been four draws and only five home victories. The Reds thus “only” occupy fifth place in the home table.
Therefore, it makes sense to refrain from betting on tip 1, especially since the quotes for this do not promise any value anyway and you would have to apply a high handicap on the FCB, which in turn drastically increases the risk. Instead, we bet on goals on both sides. After all, the Munich side have only kept a clean sheet once in their last eight league games.
Bayern – Statistics & current form
FC Bayern München have been unbeaten for 18 games in a row (14 wins, four draws), but are still in a bit of a crisis at the moment. Due to three draws at the beginning of the year, the lead over second place in the Bundesliga shrank to just one point.
Added to this is the anger surrounding the recent Neuer interview on the Tapalovic case, which brought new unrest to Säbener Straße after a not entirely easy winter transfer window with the signing of Yann Sommer as the new temporary number one.
The Champions League casts its shadow ahead
At least, however, things went a little better again for the German serial and record champions in the past English week. A commanding 4-0 away win in the cup at Mainz 05 was followed by a 4-2 victory in Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. In both games, a new winter arrival brought a breath of fresh air. 5 Facts about Joao Cancelo can also be found in the linked article.
Now the Reds want to silence the recent disturbing noises with a three-goal win at home against VfL Bochum. After all, the all-important Champions League first leg at Paris Saint-Germain is on the agenda for Tuesday.
The best offence and defence in the league
With a look at the bare figures, nothing should go wrong for the eleven from the Isar on Saturday. With 56 goals, the FCB have the best attack in the Bundesliga and, although they have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven of their last eight league games, they also have the best defence in German football with only 18 goals conceded.
And because the Reds are still unbeaten at home in nine league games (five wins, four draws), the betting odds on Bayern against Bochum are heavily in favour of the Munich side. After all, of 35 Bundesliga home games against VfL so far, only one has been lost (26 wins, eight draws).
Last games played by Bayern:
Bundesliga
05/02/2023 – VfL Wolfsburg 2 – 4 Bayern Munich
DFB Cup
02/02/2023 – Mainz 05 0 – 4 Bayern Munich
Bundesliga
29/01/2023 – Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
25/01/2023 – Bayern Munich 1 – 1 1 FC Cologne
21/01/2023 – RB Leipzig 1 – 1 Bayern Munich
Bochum – Statistics & current form
After finishing a commanding 13th in the final table of the pre-season, VfL Bochum faced much criticism when they parted company with promotion-winning coach Thomas Reis early in the current campaign.
Twelve league games later, however, those responsible were probably right, as the Blue and Whites picked up an impressive 18 points from these twelve games under Thomas Letsch. In the entire Bundesliga history of Bochum, only Peter Neururer scored more points in his first twelve Bundesliga games as VfL coach (20 in 2002/03).
Already three points clear of relegation place
In particular, the team from the Ruhr area has increasingly become a power in its own stadium. The last five Bundesliga home games were all won, which is also the reason why VfL is now above the line again and has a cushion of three points on the relegation place.
Last weekend, the Blue and Whites even dispatched TSG Hoffenheim 5:2 before losing the DFB Pokal derby against Borussia Dortmund during the week, but were equal for long stretches.
By far the most away defeats in the Bundesliga
Only away from home does Bochum’s record continue to read desolate. Nine of the ten Bundesliga away games were all lost (one win), which is why betting on a point win for the visitors from the Ruhr area in Bayern against Bochum seems extremely unlikely.
However, the VfL, who have scored in six of their last seven competitive matches without exception, are definitely capable of putting in another spirited performance against the Munich side and scoring an away goal in the process.
Last matches played by Bochum:
DFB Cup
09/02/2023 – VfL Bochum 1 – 2 Borussia Dortmund
Bundesliga
04/02/2023 – VfL Bochum 5 – 2 Hoffenheim
28/01/2023 – Mainz 05 5 – 2 VfL Bochum
26/01/2023 – Bayer Leverkusen 2 – 0 VfL Bochum
21/01/2023 – VfL Bochum 3 – 1 Hertha BSC
Bayern – Bochum Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
Head to head: 52 – 16 – 10
The two teams have faced each other a total of 78 times so far and with 52 wins, FC Bayern has won 66.7% of all encounters with VfL Bochum. Alone among the Reds’ 35 Bundesliga home games against the Blue and Whites is just one defeat (26 wins, eight draws) – a 0:2 that dates back to August 1991.
Bayern – Bochum Tip
With Bayern against Bochum, the odds naturally swing in favour of the home side, who have not only struggled in their first three league games of the new year, but have also won “only” five of their nine Bundesliga home games in the 2022/23 season (four draws). The Munich side have also kept a clean sheet in only one of their last eight league games.
It is therefore consistent to predict that both teams will score against Bochum. That includes another wobble by the Reds with a result like 1:1 as well as, for example, a commanding 5:1 home victory.
