Bochum had problems in the last six Bundesliga games and ended up in 16th place, the relegation playoff spot.
Will Bochum secure a win against? Hoffenheim on Friday night to get out of the bottom three?
Game preview
After a 4-3 home win, Hoffenheim travels to Bochum Borussia Monchengladbach. They have won two of their last three Bundesliga games and are currently in ninth place in the table.
The trend in games between these teams favors home wins. The home side have won the last three meetings between Bochum and Hoffenheim, scoring over 3.5 goals in each game.
In the second leg in December, Hoffenheim secured a 3-1 home win.
Bochum took the lead with an own goal from Erhan Masovic in the 32nd minute. Andrej Kramaric extended the lead two minutes before halftime.
Ihlas Bebou scored the third goal in the 76th minute, while Bochum scored a consolation goal through Goncalo Paciencia.
With 53 goals this season, Hoffenheim is one of the most dangerous teams in the Bundesliga. However, they have also conceded 60 goals, which is the second-worst defensive record in the division.
A weak defense has prevented Hoffenheim from securing a European Cup place. A win over Bochum could temporarily lift them to seventh place with a chance of qualifying for Europe next season.
A victory for Bochum would move them up to 14th place at least by Saturday afternoon and push Mainz out of the bottom three places. There are currently six teams fighting to avoid finishing 16th or 17th in the standings.
Team news and updates:
Bochum has the fifth-worst attack in the league with 34 goals. They failed to score in two of their last five games.
Bochum also shares one of the weakest defenses in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim and has conceded 60 goals this season.
Max Beier leads Hoffenheim with 13 goals, while Kramaric has nine.
Takuma Asano leads Bochum with six goals, supported by Kevin Stoger with five goals and nine assists.
Prediction and Analysis:
History speaks for the home team: Bochum emerged victorious from the last three matches against Hoffenheim in the Vonovia Ruhrstadion.
Despite Hoffenheim’s outstanding goal threat, Bochum’s determined attack exploited their defensive weaknesses.
We expect Bochum to put in a spirited performance and secure a crucial 3-1 home win that will give them a chance of survival.