Will Schalke’s drought come to an end in Bochum?
Even without the standings, the derby between Bochum and Schalke – we give a tip on the outcome of the match in this article – would have a lot of explosive power. However, this duel gains even more momentum because the penultimate team in the table receives the current bottom team. Both rivals are in acute danger of relegation and urgently need something tangible in this neighbourly duel.
When it comes to Bochum vs Schalke, our prediction leans towards the Royal Blues, who have recently gone unbeaten in five consecutive league games (one win, four draws) and have conceded just once in that period – a league best.
S04 coach Thomas Reis also knows VfL from 112 competitive games as a coach, which could well be a factor in his return to his old stomping ground. After all, he was still on the sidelines of today’s opponents during Bochum’s 1:3 first-leg defeat
However, the incredible weakness of Schalke away from home speaks against betting on the Gelsenkirchen team. In the Bundesliga, the Knappen have not managed a win in 38 away games (twelve draws, 26 defeats), which is an ongoing negative record in the top flight of German football. After good performances, however, this series could now be broken by neighbours Bochum. After all, S04 has such a high away win rate (45%) at no other current Bundesliga club.
Bochum – Statistics & current form
VfL Bochum returned to the Bundesliga in the summer of 2021 after an eleven-year absence under the leadership of Thomas Reis, where the once-so-grey mouse played its way to a commanding 13th place finish in the final table to stay in the league.
However, VfL’s start to the 2022/23 season was a failure, which cost coach Thomas Reis his job early on, and he had already flirted with a move to promoted Schalke 04 in the summer. Under his successor Thomas Letsch, however, the Blue and Whites subsequently got their act together again.
Only 15 defeats in the first 22 league games
Lately, however, Bochum have been unable to confirm their form.
The important home victories in the basement duels with Hertha (3:1) and Hoffenheim (5:2) were most recently followed by four lost competitive games in a row. Since last weekend, the VfL is once again in a direct relegation spot.
The situation of the team from the city of Grönemeyer can be traced back to the high number of defeats. Bochum have already lost 15 of their 22 league games (six wins, one draw). Only once in Bundesliga history has a team with 15 or more defeats after 22 league games managed to stay in the league at the end – Hannover 96 in 1971/72.
The weakest defence in the Bundesliga
The problem is that VfL have the weakest defence in the entire Bundesliga. They have already conceded 54 goals in their 22 league games so far – and thus conceded an average of 2.45 goals per game.
It is therefore all the more surprising that the betting odds on Bochum against Schalke are swinging in the direction of the hosts, who have only won one of their last four home games against the Gelsenkirchen side (one draw, two defeats) and already lost the first leg 3-1 in the Revier derby.
Last matches of Bochum:
Bundesliga
25/02/2023 – Werder Bremen 3 – 0 VfL Bochum
18/02/2023 – VfL Bochum 0 – 2 SC Freiburg
11/02/2023 – Bayern Munich 3 – 0 VfL Bochum
DFB Cup
09/02/2023 – VfL Bochum 1 – 2 Borussia Dortmund
Bundesliga
04/02/2023 – VfL Bochum 5 – 2 Hoffenheim
Schalke – Statistics & current form
Schalke 04 were relegated from the Bundesliga in the wake of a disastrous 2020/21 season, but quickly recovered in the second division after slight teething troubles. In the end, the Knappen returned to the Beletage of German football as champions of the 2nd Bundesliga.
While fellow promoted Werder Bremen are closer to the international starting positions than to the relegation places in the secure midfield, the Königsblauen, on the other hand, are fighting tooth and nail to remain in the top flight of German football. Only a renewed upswing breathed new life into S04.
The best defence of the Bundesliga second half
Although Schalke have the second weakest defence in the Bundesliga overall, their defence has been the Gelsenkirchen side’s showpiece in the second half of the season so far. S04 have conceded just one goal in the five games they have played in the second half of the season. That is a best value in the league.
The truth is that four of the five games in the second half of the season ended 0-0, with some of the attacking efforts non-existent. But at least in the important basement duel against VfB Stuttgart, in which a home win was almost obligatory, Thomas Reis’ team was on the spot and scored an important 2-1 victory.
Winless in 38 Bundesliga away games
While the Knappen still hold the red lantern. However, the gap between them and the rescue bank has shrunk to three points, which is why they have taken heart from their run of five league games in a row without defeat.
If the Gelsenkirchen side can win the Bochum match against Schalke, which would finally end S04’s unprecedented streak of 38 consecutive Bundesliga away games without a win (twelve draws, 26 defeats), the fans in the Ruhr area will once again be able to dream of staying in the league.
Last games of Schalke:
Bundesliga
26/02/2023 – Schalke 04 2 – 1 VfB Stuttgart
19/02/2023 – Union Berlin 0 – 0 Schalke 04
11/02/2023 – Schalke 04 0 – 0 VfL Wolfsburg
05/02/2023 – Gladbach 0 – 0 Schalke 04
29/01/2023 – Schalke 04 0 – 0 1. FC Köln
Bochum – Schalke Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 20 – 13 – 45
The Revierderby between Bochum and Schalke has already taken place a total of 78 times and with 45 victories, S04 leads the direct comparison very clearly. The Gelsenkirchen side already won the first leg 3:1 and have only lost one of their last eight league games against VfL (six wins, one draw).
Bochum – Schalke Tip
With Bochum against Schalke, our prediction goes to an away win for the Gelsenkirchen side, who have recently been in much better form again and have the best defence of the second half of the season with only one goal conceded. By comparison, VfL conceded 15 goals in the same period and have the weakest defence in the Bundesliga, not only overall but also in the second half of the season. For the first time under Thomas Letsch, Bochum also lost three league games in a row.
If not in the Revierderby at the form-weak VfL, then where should the long Schalker drought on foreign grounds break? The ratio of risk, probability of occurrence and possibility of winning can be assessed as correspondingly coherent, which is why we recommend tip 2.
