Does VfL manage the sensation again?
Before a season, there are numerous polls on relegation or the first coach dismissals in the Bundesliga. in terms of relegation, VfL Bochum is at the top of the list and is treated as the hottest candidate for the march into the second division. But Thomas Reis need not worry about his job. Even in the event of relegation, the VfL bosses want to extend the coach’s contract.
Perhaps this is just the right signal that the Bochum team needs before the home game against FC Bayern. So far, things have not been going well for the Revierklub. The first two games of the season have been lost and VfL are only in 17th place before the third matchday. They may even be holding the red lantern when the whistle blows for their own game.
The fact that top-ranked FC Bayern is coming could be a blessing and a curse at the same time. On the one hand, Bochum have nothing to lose. On the other hand, there is a good chance that they won’t win anything either.
On the one hand, this is due to the enormous potential of the record champions, but Bayern also don’t show any weakness against the league’s cellar children. For 48 games, the FCB has not lost to a team that was in a relegation place. In 2008, there was a defeat against Energie Cottbus. There is probably no way around the fact that you can only be successful in the duel Bochum vs. Bayern with a tip that is linked to a Bayern victory.
Bochum – Statistics & current form
If you are still without a point after two matchdays and then Bayern come, then the probability is not small that you will concede the next defeat and be pulled into a relegation maelstrom. However, VfL has already lost the first two Bundesliga games five times in its history and has only been relegated once. Therefore, calm is still the order of the day at the Castroper Straße.
Problems in the air
What pisses coach Thomas Reis off, however, is not so much the first two defeats, but rather how they came about. Four of the five goals conceded were headed in. In your own penalty area, it is extremely important to have air supremacy. Against Bayern, however, that will play a subordinate role, because they tend to score their goals with their feet.
Last weekend, it initially looked as if VfL Bochum would at least score when they visited Hoffenheim. Simon Zoller gave his team a 2:0 lead with a brace after just a quarter of an hour. After 23 minutes, however, the score was 2:2 and when everyone was almost resigned to a draw, the Kraichgauers managed to score the 3:2 winner in the 88th minute.
In terms of personnel, there are a few problem areas at Castroper Straße. Danilo Soares, Jacek Goralski, Jannes Horn, Patrik Osterhage and Konstantinos Stafylidis are out, as is newcomer Lys Mousset. It is conceivable that Thomas Reis will switch from a three-man backfield to a four-man one. It is also possible that only one striker will play in order to better counter Bayern’s strong offensive.
Predicted line-up of Bochum:
Riemann – Gamboa, Ordets, Heintz, Janko – Losilla, Stöger, Asano, Holtmann – Zoller, Hofmann – Coach: Reis
Last matches played by Bochum:
Bundesliga
13/08/2022 – Hoffenheim 3 – 2 VfL Bochum
06/08/2022 – VfL Bochum 1 – 2 Mainz 05
DFB Cup
30/07/2022 – Viktoria Berlin 0 – 3 VfL Bochum
Friendly club matches
23/07/2022 – VfL Bochum 6 – 2 Antalyaspor
21/07/2022 – Athletic Bilbao 4 – 1 VfL Bochum
Bayern – Statistics & current form
It’s not that Jamal Musiala is an absolute newcomer, but the 19-year-old international looks set to take it to the next level this season. He has now scored 14 goals in the Bundesliga. That has never been achieved before by anyone who had not reached the age of 20. No wonder, then, that the numerous newcomers are waiting for their assignments, while Musiala is set.
Rotation a foreign word
With two wins from their first two games, Munich have gone straight to the top of the Bundesliga table. It sounds strange, but the last time the record champions had two wins at the start of the season was five years ago. We expect the third win to follow on Sunday and give a clear prediction of an away victory in the duel between Bochum and Bayern.
Last week, the Munich side made everything clear in the first half of their home game against Wolfsburg. Jamal Musiala put his team 1:0 ahead and is in first place in the scoring charts with three goals. Shortly before the half-time whistle, Thomas Müller increased the lead to 2:0 and thus already marked the final score.
In the three competitive matches so far this season, Julian Nagelsmann has always trusted the same starting line-up. With Serge Gnabry struggling, Kingsley Coman could replace him on Sunday. The Frenchman is now fit to play again after serving his red card suspension. For injury reasons, only Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leon Goretzka will continue to miss out.
Predicted Bayern line-up:
Neuer – Pavard, Upamecano, Hernandez, Davies – Kimmich, Sabitzer – Coman, Musiala – Müller, Mane – Coach: Nagelsmann
Last matches played by Bayern:
Bundesliga
14/08/2022 – Bayern Munich 2 – 0 VfL Wolfsburg
06/08/2022 – Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 6 Bayern Munich
Super Cup
31/07/2022 – RB Leipzig 3 – 5 Bayern Munich
Friendly club matches
24/07/2022 – Bayern Munich 0 – 1 Manchester City
21/07/2022 – DC United 2 – 6 Bayern Munich
Bochum – Bayern Direct comparison / H2H balance
In total, VfL Bochum and Bayern Munich have crossed paths 77 times. Of course, the direct comparison is a clear affair for the record champions. Bayern are 51:10 ahead after victories. 16 times they parted with a draw. In the last season, the two clubs went head-to-head. The Munich team won the first leg 7:0 at the Allianz Arena.
But revenge followed at Castroper Straße in February. After Robert Lewandowski put FCB ahead, it was 4:1 for VfL at the break after goals from Christopher Antwi-Adjej, Jürgen Locadia, Christian Gamboa and Gerrit Holtmann. Lewandowski’s 2:4 was merely a cosmetic measure. However, this victory is not a good omen for the Bochum team, as they have never won two goals in a row against Bayern.
Bochum – Bayern tip
VfL Bochum are already under a bit of pressure after two defeats at the start of the season, even though they have great confidence in their coach. But points are needed to avoid being in the bottom of the table right from the start. It’s hard to believe that another VfL spectacle against the record champions will follow the magnificent 4:2 win in February, especially since there have never been two victories in a row against the FCB.
The Bochum team currently has problems defensively and we believe that these will be evident against FCB’s unpredictable attack. We can imagine that the FCB will win and that more than 2.5 goals will be scored, but we have decided to play the betting odds on a handicap win (-1.5) for the visitors between Bochum and Bayern.
