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Bayern Munich – VfL Bochum
The Bundesliga goes round and round. This weekend, Germany’s highest division is already entering its 20th round. On Saturday, FC Bayern München will have its dress rehearsal for the match against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. The record champion receives VfL Bochum in the Allianz Arena at home.
FC Bayern is once again at the top of the Bundesliga table, but recently the performances of the record champions have not necessarily been convincing. After three draws to start the new year, the FCB at least managed a win against VfL Wolfsburg at the weekend. The Bavarians won the away game in Lower Saxony with 4:2.
Bochum recently crawled out of the bottom of the table and is now in 15th place. VfL have won four of their last six Bundesliga games and are now showing a completely different face than at the beginning of the season. Last week, Bochum won 5:2 at home against TSG Hoffenheim. Find out in our Bayern vs Bochum betting tips whether the VfL can also cause a surprise at the record champion.
Bayern – Bochum info:
– Date & Time: 11.02.2023, 15:30 Uhr
– Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich
– Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 20
– TV broadcast: Sky
Bayern Form & Balance Check
Bayern are currently in first place in the Bundesliga as usual. However, the consistency is not always there for the record champion. At the beginning of this season, for example, between the fourth and ninth matchday, the Bavarians only managed one win and were thus temporarily only in third place in the Bundesliga. At the end of 2022, however, six Bundesliga victories in a row followed.
At the start of the new year, however, coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team only drew three times in a row. Against RB Leipzig, 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt, the record champions only managed one point each. Last Sunday, however, Bayern managed their first Bundesliga win of the year. Despite an average performance, the FCB won 4:2 against VfL Wolfsburg.
Cancelo as hopeful
In their 19 games so far, the Munich side have conceded just 18 goals, fewer than any other team. Bayern have also finished a game without conceding a goal six times in the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, the defence lacked a certain quality, especially after Lucas Hernández’s injury.
For this reason, FC Bayern signed João Cancelo from Manchester City during the winter break. The Portuguese was loaned out until the end of the season. Cancelo brings a lot of experience with him, having won the English championship twice, the Italian championship once and the Portuguese championship once in his career. In his first two competitive matches for Bayern, the 28-year-old directly set up two goals.
Bayern facts & analysis
– Top of the Bundesliga table.
– Still without a home defeat
– In the last 16 of the Champions League
Bochum form & balance check
VfL Bochum find themselves in the middle of the relegation battle again this season. Their main goal is not to be in a relegation place at the end of the season. However, under coach Thomas Letsch, the team has made great strides in the first four games of the new year, picking up six important points. The wins against direct rivals Hertha and Hoffenheim have enabled Bochum to jump up to 15th place, showing that they are willing to fight for every point.
VfL also kept up well for a long time in the DFB Cup during the week. The Bochum side did not allow many chances against BVB and only suffered a narrow 1:2 defeat in the end. Against Bayern, VfL fans will be hoping for a similarly committed performance.
Away not at Bundesliga level
VfL Bochum are a team who particularly value the importance of home games this season. Bochum are currently undefeated at home in the Ruhrstadion for six games in the league. Under the leadership of coach Thomas Letsch, VfL have even won every Bundesliga home match at the Castroper Straße stadium so far.
Away from home, however, Bochum is currently showing a completely different face. On 12.11.2022, the team from the deep west won 1:0 at FC Augsburg. However, these three points were the only ones that Bochum won on a foreign pitch. VfL have a goal difference of 7:29 in their ten away games in the Bundesliga so far. Bochum have also failed to score a goal of their own five times away from home.
Bochum facts & analysis
– Worst defence in the league
– Currently 15th in the league
– Top scorer is Philipp Hofmann with seven goals
Predicted line-up – last update on 9 February 2023
Julian Nagelsmann will again send FC Bayern onto the field in a 4-2-3-1. Musiala is likely to be withdrawn to central midfield to deputise for the suspended Kimmich. In defence, the record champions are still missing Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernández and Ryan Gravenberch is also injured. Noussair Mazraoui and Sadio Mané made progress recently and will return to the squad in the coming weeks.
VfL Bochum have always played in a 4-2-3-1 system recently. Hofmann will be present up front, distribute the balls and now wants to provide a scoring threat away from home. Thomas Letsch has no new injuries or suspensions to complain about. With Gamboa and Grave, the same players are missing as in the last matches.
Bayern – Bochum direct comparison & statistics
FC Bayern have won 52 of their 78 duels with VfL Bochum so far. Bochum, on the other hand, have only won ten against the record champions. Bochum’s last victory in Munich was on 28.08.1991. The first leg in Bochum was won by the record champions with 7:0.
– Bochum have never won against Bayern at the Allianz Arena.
– Bochum won only one of the 36 away games at FC Bayern
– Did you know that Bayern Munich score 30% of their goals between the 31-45 minute?
– Bochum have failed to score in 5 of their 10 away games in the Bundesliga this season
