Union Berlin – VfL Bochum
Our Union Berlin – Bochum prediction is: Union Berlin win – 1.60 odds
- Bochum has lost every away game so far
- Union has only lost one home game
- The last direct duel was won by Bochum 4-3
On Saturday afternoon, Union Berlin will face VfL Bochum at the Alte Försterei in the Bundesliga. Both teams are currently struggling with their form, while Berlin are currently in twelfth place, Bochum are bottom of the table going into this game.
Union Berlin are currently on a run of six games without a win and lost their last league game 2-3 against VfB Stuttgart after taking a 2-0 lead. They currently have 16 points in the table, but are currently sharing second place for the best defense in the league.
In contrast, VfL has now gone 15 league games without a win across both seasons and, with just two points, is rightfully at the bottom of the table. They have not yet managed to pick up a single away point. On the last match day, they lost 1-0 to Bremen. However, Bochum are top of the table in three categories: most goals conceded, fewest goals scored and lowest tackle rate, although they share first place in the latter statistic with their opponents from Berlin. Find out whether VfL will fight back again or concede their next defeat in our Union Berlin – Bochum tip.
Union Berlin – Bochum info
- Date & time: 14.12.2024, 3:30 pm
- Venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 14
- Broadcast/Live stream: SKY
Union Berlin Form & Bilanz Check
1. FC Union Berlin are without a win against VfL Bochum in their last four Bundesliga games (one draw, three defeats). Before that, the Irons had won their first two Bundesliga games of the 2021/22 season. Since the start of the 2022/23 season, Union have only collected as few points against FC Bayern Munich and Bayer 04 Leverkusen (one point, excluding promoted teams) as against VfL. Bochum, on the other hand, have not celebrated as many wins against any other team in the last two Bundesliga seasons as against Union (three).
Currently, Union are in a slump: the team has not won in six Bundesliga games (two draws, four defeats). For the first time this season, the Berliners conceded three Bundesliga defeats in a row. Together with upcoming opponents VfL Bochum and 1. FC Heidenheim, Union have not won since match day eight. During this period, the Irons only managed to get two points – only Bochum and Heidenheim (one point each) fared worse.
You can rely on the defense
Despite the weak offense, which, with twelve goals, is the third weakest in the league (only St. Pauli and Bochum scored fewer goals), Union’s defense is convincing. With only 14 goals conceded, the team has the second-best defense in the Bundesliga behind FC Bayern Munich (ten). It is striking that Union has the weakest possession statistics in the league: with an average of 39.1% possession, Union is in last place in the league.
In addition, the Irons, together with VfL Bochum, have the lowest rate of tackles in the league, with just 47%. The clash between these two teams next matchday will therefore not only be a duel between the weakest tackling teams, but also a chance for Union to break their negative streak.
Union Berlin facts & analysis
- Six Bundesliga games without a win
- Second-best defense in the league
- Four Bundesliga games without a win against Bochum
Bochum Form & Bilanz Check
VfL Bochum is experiencing a historically weak season. With only two points and a goal difference of -24 after 13 games, the club is playing the second-weakest season of any team in Bundesliga history. Only Greuther Fürth did worse in the 2021/22 season, when they had only one point after 13 games. So far, there have only been three clubs with a maximum of two points after 13 games – all of which were relegated at the end of the season.
The crisis is also evident across seasons: Bochum have not won in 15 Bundesliga games (two draws, 13 defeats), thus equaling their own negative club record (between August 1992 and February 1993). The last Bundesliga victory came in May, against Union Berlin (4-3), of all teams. It is also VfL’s only away win in the 2024 calendar year (one draw, 13 defeats).
In the current season, Bochum are the only team yet to pick up an away point. For the second time since 2022/23, the club started with seven consecutive away defeats; at the time, they managed a 1-0 win in Augsburg in their eighth game. Across two seasons, VfL have eight away defeats in a row – nine would be the club’s negative record (last set in 2004/05).
Too many construction sites at Bochum
Another problem is evident in defense: Last matchday against Werder Bremen (0:1), Bochum conceded at least one goal in the 29th Bundesliga game in a row – an ongoing club negative record. In this millennium, only Werder Bremen had a longer series of clean sheets (35 games from May 2015 to May 2016). At the same time, Bochum has the weakest offense in the league with ten goals scored and has conceded the most goals in the league (34).
Bochum also occupies the bottom spots in other areas: with an average of 41% possession of the ball, VfL is one of the three teams with the lowest share (behind Union and Heidenheim) and shares the league-low tackle success rate (47%) with Union. Coach Dieter Hecking has also suffered 149 Bundesliga defeats – only seven coaches have had to accept more defeats so far. His points average at VfL is a weak 0.25 points per game; only his predecessor Peter Zeidler was even weaker with 0.14.
Bochum facts & analysis
- Without a win in last 15 Bundesliga games
- Worst defense in the league
- Worst offense in the league
We expect Bo Svensson’s Union Berlin to play in a 3-4-2-1 system again. After six games without a win, they now need to turn things around against Bochum, who are out of form.
We expect VfL Bochum to play in a 3-4-3 system under the direction of Dieter Hecking. Bochum have lost every away game so far and now have to pull themselves together if they still want to turn the tide.
Union Berlin – Bochum head-to-head & statistics
Union Berlin and VfL Bochum have met in 27 competitive games so far, including six in the Bundesliga, 20 in the Bundesliga 2 and one in the DFB Cup. Union have won 13 of those duels, Bochum ten, and four games have ended in a draw. In direct comparisons, Union have scored 41 goals, while Bochum have scored 38.
Head-to-head (H2H)
