VfL Wolfsburg – VfL Bochum
Our Wolfsburg v Bochum prediction is: Wolfsburg to win – 1.56 odds
- Wolfsburg has only lost one of its last nine home games
- Bochum has lost nine of its last eleven Bundesliga away games
- Wolfsburg has won its last two duels
This Saturday, VfL Wolfsburg will host VfL Bochum, who are threatened by relegation, in the Volkswagen Arena. The Wolves were recently able to end their negative streak with an important 2-1 away win in Stuttgart and, in ninth place in the table, are once again close to the international places. Noteworthy: Ralph Hasenhüttl surprisingly chose Mattias Svanberg as captain – a decision that paid off.
Bochum are traveling with their chests puffed out after causing the sensation of the weekend by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 last weekend. Despite this success, coach Dieter Hecking’s team are still in penultimate place in the table with only 14 points – level on points with 1. FC Heidenheim. It will be interesting to see whether the guests can build on their strong defensive performance against BVB, because in 80% of their last games they conceded goals in the first half. You can find out who will win in this Bundesliga duel in our Wolfsburg – Bochum betting tip.
Wolfsburg – Bochum info
- Venue: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg
- Date and time: 22.02.2025, 3:30 pm
- Competition: Bundesliga, 23rd matchday
- TV-Übertragung: SKY
Wolfsburg Form & Bilanz Check
The VfL Wolfsburg is in a changeable condition under Ralph Hasenhüttl, but was finally able to score an important three points again at the weekend with a 2-1 away win at VfB Stuttgart. New captain Mattias Svanberg, who led the team in the absence of the injured Maximilian Arnold, led a convincing team performance.
Wolves come into their own after half-time
The second half was an interesting development – the Wolves have shown a clear tendency to become more dangerous after the break in recent games. In 80% of their last matches, they scored at least one goal in the second half. However, the defense also revealed weaknesses in this phase – in four of the last five games, the team conceded after the break.
With their latest success, Wolfsburg have worked their way up to 9th place in the table and are now just one point behind Borussia Mönchengladbach. Their European ambitions have been revived, even though the three draws against Leverkusen, Frankfurt and Kiel before the Stuttgart game showed that there is still room for improvement. It will be interesting to see whether Hasenhüttl can now stabilize his team and start a new winning streak.
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
- Won after three consecutive draws on the last matchday
- Scored in the second half in four of the last five games
- Conceded in the second half in four of the last five games
After the important away win in Stuttgart, coach Ralph Hasenhüttl is likely to stick with the proven 4-4-2 system. With Müller in goal and a back four consisting of Fischer, Koulierakis, Vavro and Bornauw, the defense seems set.
In midfield, it can be assumed that the new captain Svanberg and Vranckx will form the center, while Majer and Wimmer could occupy the outer positions. After his strong performance in Stuttgart, Amoura is likely to start alongside Wind in the forward line.
Bochum Form & Bilanz Check
VfL Bochum’s surprising 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund last weekend was an important sign of life in the relegation battle. Bochum’s efficiency was particularly impressive, with Masouras’s double strike within two minutes setting the course for victory early on. The defensive stability that was sorely missing in the previous weeks was suddenly back against BVB.
Bochum is still fighting to avoid relegation
However, this success does not hide the precarious overall situation. With only 14 points, the team is in penultimate place in the table, tied on points with 1. FC Heidenheim. In the last five league games, they have managed two draws – a 2-2 at Holstein Kiel and a spectacular 3-3 against RB Leipzig – in addition to the win over Dortmund. However, the two clear defeats against Gladbach (0-3) and against Freiburg (0-1) revealed the ongoing problems.
Above all, the vulnerability in the first half of the game is striking – in 80% of the last games, Bochum conceded at least one goal before the break. Bernardo, who impressed against Dortmund with an 88% pass completion rate and attracted the interest of English scouts, could be a ray of hope. It remains to be seen whether VfL can confirm the positive trend from the Dortmund game in the coming weeks.
Bochum facts & analysis
- Last game won 2-0 against Dortmund
- Still winless away from home
- Unbeaten in last two games
After the convincing 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund, coach Zeidler will probably stick with what he knows. Bochum will in all likelihood line up in the 4-2-3-1 system again, which has proven to be very effective recently. In defense, the in-form Bernardo, who had an impressive pass completion rate of 88 percent at the weekend, could once again play a key role.
The proven midfield duo of Losilla and Bero should stabilize the center, while de Wit, Krauss and Boadu are expected to form the offensive back three. Interestingly, this formation now seems to have emerged as the standard lineup, although Hecking could of course still have one or two tactical surprises up his sleeve.
Wolfsburg – Bochum head-to-head comparison & statistics
The direct duels of recent months speak for themselves: Wolfsburg dominates this pairing with four wins in the last five encounters. Bochum only managed to win 3-1 at home in December 2023.
The Wolves’ goal scoring is particularly interesting: in October 2024, they won 3-1 away, followed by a narrow 1-0 home win in April 2024. The two wins before that were particularly impressive – a 5-1 in Bochum (April 2023) and a clear 4-0 in the Volkswagen Arena (2022).
What is striking is that at least two goals were scored in all five matches, and usually significantly more. Wolfsburg have scored in every game and have been particularly accurate in the first half. You could almost speak of a tradition here.
For Bochum, the record is sobering. Apart from the one home win, there have only been defeats – and they were usually clear-cut. You might think that Wolfsburg’s style of play suits VfL particularly well. Draw? No way in the last meetings.
