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VfL Bochum – FC Augsburg
The tension in the Bundesliga is almost unbearable. Only three games are left in Germany’s top flight. Therefore, every game is now of even more importance for the clubs. On Saturday afternoon, a real basement duel will take place at Castroper Straße. VfL Bochum will host FC Augsburg at home in the Ruhrstadion. Find out everything you need to know in our Bochum – Augsburg tip.
The hosts from the Ruhr are currently stuck in the deepest relegation quagmire. The VfL is currently in 17th place and would thus be directly relegated as of today. However, coach Thomas Letsch’s team is only two points behind the relegation zone and is even level on points with Stuttgart.
In the previous week, however, VfL returned home from the away game in Gladbach without anything worthwhile. It was a completely different story for the guests from the Fuggerstadt. FCA won 1-0 against Champions League aspirants Union Berlin at home in the WWK Arena and thus took an important step towards staying in the relegation zone. With this win, Augsburg consolidated 13th place and is thus six points ahead of the relegation spot. Should Stuttgart drop points against Leverkusen, FCA would even clinch the relegation spot in the top flight with a win and avert going down to the 2nd Bundesliga once again.
Bochum – Augsburg info:
- Date & Time: 13.05.2023, 15:30 hrs.
- Game venue: Vonovia Ruhrstadion, Bochum
- Competition: Bundesliga, 32. matchday
- TV broadcast: Sky
Bochum form & balance check
A well-known saying in soccer is that the second year in a new league is always the hardest. That seems to be the case for VfL Bochum this year as well. Whereas last year the team from Castroper Straße finished in 13th place with a total of 42 points, this year it’s just a matter of sheer survival.
Bochum is currently in 17th place, level on points with Stuttgart in the relegation places. However, VfL is currently without a win for six games. Coach Thomas Letsch’s team also lost 2-0 at Borussia Mönchengladbach the previous week.
Poor against cellar-dwellers
This season, it is very noticeable that Bochum very rarely takes its points against direct competitors. In the season so far, the Bochum side has not earned a single point against a team that was in one of the last three places at the time of the clash.
The opponents against whom VfL has picked up points this season have been ranked 7.4 on average. The Bochumers are obviously not comfortable making the play themselves, so they tend to struggle against deep-lying opponents. VfL fans hope that the team will develop a successful concept in the crucial games against Augsburg and Hertha.
Bochum facts & analysis
- Six games in the league without a win.
- League’s worst defense
- Second worst offense in the league
Augsburg form & balance check
Augsburg coach Enrico Maaßen is once again tasked with preventing relegation this season. So far, this seems to be going well, as the Fuggerstädter are currently three places above the relegation place and have a six-point lead over it. With a win in Bochum, FCA thus even has a chance of staying in the relegation zone early.
The 1-0 win against Union Berlin the previous week was another important step towards staying in the league. Currently, FCA is already three games without defeat. The Fuggerstädter thus seem to be in top form at the most important time.
The curse is broken
Augsburg will probably have to do without their established goalkeeper Rafał Gikiewicz again for the important match against Bochum. The experienced Pole will not be able to start next weekend. However, there is a possibility that the 35-year-old goalkeeper will once again be involved in the action in the final spurt of the season.
His replacement Tomas Koubek has not had the best possible start to the 2022/2023 season so far. In the first eight competitive games this season with the Czech in goal, Augsburg did not record a single victory. In the previous week, however, this changed. FCA won with its number 40 in the box against Union Berlin. In addition, Koubek remained in this game for the first time since December 2019 without conceding a goal in the Bundesliga.
Augsburg facts & analysis
- In 13th place in the Bundesliga.
- Only two losses in last seven games
- No away wins this year
Predicted lineup – last update on May 11, 2023
VfL Bochum tried their luck against Gladbach last time in a 4-2-3-1. However, the new system worked only conditionally. Therefore, we expect the Bochum team to play in a 4-3-3 again on Saturday. VfL’s hopes again lie mainly on Philipp Hofmann, who has already scored seven goals at home this season.
Augsburg fought their way to victory against Union in a 3-4-3, and we expect the Fuggerstädter to be in this formation again at Castroper Straße. Elvis Rexhbecaj will probably be back in the starting lineup against his ex-club. Arne Engels, however, is missing in midfield with a yellow suspension.
Bochum – Augsburg direct comparison & statistics
Augsburg and Bochum have met six times so far. Four times VfL Bochum walked off the field as the winner and twice FC Augsburg won. The last duel Bochum decided in the first leg with 1-0 in favor.
- So far there have always been away victories in the direct duel between Bochum and Augsburg in the league.
- Both teams are separated by six points
- When Bochum leads 1-0 in home games, they win 54% of matches
- Augsburg has scored in each of their last nine games
