VfL Bochum – Borussia Dortmund
Even though Schalke 04 was relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga last season, fans in the Ruhr region don’t have to miss out on a Revierderby. And the small derby already takes place on Saturday in the Bundesliga. In our Bochum – Dortmund tip, you can find out whether BVB will also score their second win of the season at the Ruhrstadion.
For the two teams it is the first meeting since the controversial duel at the end of the previous season. Back then, Borussia lost the top spot in the table on matchday 30 of the 2022/23 season with a subsequently highly controversial 1-1 draw in Bochum.
Another draw would be a midsize disaster for BVB. For already at the start of the season, Dortmund did not do particularly well in the 1-0 win against Cologne. However, the 1st matchday went even significantly worse for the hosts from Bochum. VfL went down 0:5 in Stuttgart with a disastrous performance.
Bochum – Dortmund info:
- Date & Time: 08/26/2023, 15:30 hrs.
- Game venue: Vonovia Ruhrstadion, Bochum
- Competition: Bundesliga, 2nd Matchday
- TV broadcast: Sky
Bochum form & balance check
VfL Bochum found themselves in the midst of a relegation battle in the previous season as well. The team’s primary goal, as in every year, was not to occupy a relegation spot at the end of the season. Under the leadership of coach Thomas Letsch, the team fought tirelessly and eventually secured the 14th place in the table.
In addition, VfL made it to the round of 16 of the DFB Cup in the preseason, where they failed to beat their upcoming opponents from Dortmund. This season, however, the team already lost in the 1st round to Arminia Bielefeld from the 3rd division. The men from Castroper Straße also failed completely in their start to the Bundesliga. Bochum couldn’t get a leg on the ground in Stuttgart and went down 5:0
Myth Castroper Straße
However, there is a glimmer of hope for the Bochum fans on Saturday and it bears the name Ruhrstadion. Home games often have an outstanding significance in soccer and VfL Bochum illustrates this aptly. Despite only two away wins in the Bundesliga the previous season, the Bochum side proved to be true dominators at home in the Ruhrstadion.
Under the leadership of coach Thomas Letsch, Castroper Straße was once again turned into an impregnable fortress, where eight wins were clinched at home. In the new season, the Bochum side is again looking to become a force at home.
Bochum facts & analysis
- Still without a win this season.
- The worst defense in the league last year
- Lost 0:5 against Stuttgart in the previous week
Dortmund form & balance check
BVB started the season weakly under returning coach Edin Terzic last season. After a number of failures, Borussia finished only sixth at the end of 2022. But in the new year, BVB found its rhythm and navigated up the table without any major setbacks. Nevertheless, second place remained the maximum and Bayern were once again not knocked off the throne.
In the current season, however, Borussia is once again striving for the top. BVB already successfully completed the beginning of the cup season. Against the regional league team Schott Mainz, a commanding 6:1 victory was achieved. At the start of the Bundesliga, Dortmund managed a narrow 1:0 victory against Cologne. However, BVB was by no means convincing and looked very lethargic on the offensive at times.
What about Can?
In the coming season, Emre Can will once again embody the central element in midfield. The 29-year-old player stood out recently with an impressive performance in the Rückrunde and was given the role of the new captain at Borussia before the start of the season.
However, the 41-time German international did not perform well in the opener against Cologne. Can looked unsafe in midfield and made a number of inattentive mistakes. Consequently, Dortmund’s number 23 was substituted after 59 minutes and replaced by newcomer Felix Nmecha. Against Bochum, the captain now wants to be the usual stabilizer again.
Dortmund facts & analysis
- Placed 2nd in the league in the preseason.
- Won 1:0 against Cologne in the previous week.
- Not yet in good early form
Predicted lineup – last update on August 24, 2023
Even though the three-man backline hasn’t worked so well for VfL so far, we expect the men from Castroper Straße to be back in a 3-4-1-2 on Saturday, with returnee Keven Schlotterbeck potentially moving straight into the starting eleven for the Bochum side.
Against VfL Bochum, we again expect Dortmund to play in a 4-2-3-1. Despite the weak performance against Cologne, we expect the black and yellow almost unchanged. Only Marius Wolf could move into the starting eleven.
Bochum – Dortmund direct comparison & statistics
The two teams have faced each other in 82 competitive matches so far. Borussia Dortmund prevailed in 37 of these duels, while VfL Bochum only emerged victorious in 20 matches. BVB has only won twice in the league at Bochum’s Ruhrstadion this millennium. The most recent meeting between the two teams also ended in a 1-1 draw.
- Both stadiums are only 15 kilometers away from each other.
- Bochum lost their first two games of the season, while BVB won both of them
- Both teams were separated by 36 points in the preseason
