VfL Wolfsburg – VfL Bochum
There are only five games to go in the Bundesliga and even if the championship was decided early on the last matchday, there are still some decisions to be made. The Saturday conference promises exciting duels, including VfL Bochum’s visit to Wolfsburg. Find out who will win this game and which bets will work out in our Wolfsburg – Bochum betting tip.
For a long time, it looked as if Wolfsburg would sink into mid-table and be able to call an early end to the season. Unfortunately, however, coach Ralph Hasenhüttl’s team have slipped dangerously close to the relegation places and, without realizing it, are in the midst of a relegation battle. Their direct neighbors in the table and upcoming opponents from Bochum are in the same starting position. They need to score points to keep their distance from Mainz, who are gaining strength and are in the relegation places. The loser of this clash could already lose on this matchday and slip down to 16th place.
What is your opinion on our bets? Do you also think that the Wolves will push Bochum into the relegation places? Let us know in the comments.
Wolfsburg – Bochum info
- Date & Time: 20.04.2024, 3:30 pm
- Playing venue: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 30
- TV broadcast/livestream: Sky
Wolfsburg Form & Balance Check
When new coach Hasenhüttl celebrated his debut three games ago with a 2-0 win over Bremen, hope was raised in Wolfsburg. However, this quickly evaporated again, as the latest defeat against Leipzig last weekend was the second defeat in a row and left VfL in dangerous territory in the table.
In addition to the coach’s debut success, the club has lost five of its last six games. This leaves the Wolves in 14th place with 28 points, one point ahead of their upcoming opponents Bochum and two points ahead of the relegation places. The first direct relegation spot is six points away
Hope for a returnee between the posts
Wolfsburg are hoping that their goalkeeper Koen Casteels, who has missed the last four games due to a shoulder injury, will finally return against Bochum. Casteels was back on the training pitch on Monday and trained individually.
It is not yet certain that he will be able to play at the weekend, but he could give the team a positive jolt. Even though his deputy Pavao Pervan has not done a bad job and played his part in the only win in recent weeks, Hasenhüttl hopes to be able to count on the services of the experienced Belgian in these difficult times
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
- 14th place in the table
- Last game lost
- First win in 2024
Bochum Form & Balance Sheet Check
This game is also all to play for Bochum. Last weekend, coach Thomas Letsch’s team shared the points with FC Heidenheim. Not enough, really, as their rivals from Mainz have started to catch up.
Bochum have been waiting seven games for a winning result and have only picked up two points in this period. As a result, they are still in 15th place and just one point ahead of Mainz. In the event of a defeat in Wolfsburg and a point win for Mainz, Bochum would be in the relegation places
Pitchbird and savior at the same time
Keven Schlotterbeck was clearly the main character in Bochum’s 1:1 draw last weekend. His own goal in the 81st minute brought Bochum to the brink of defeat. Eight minutes later, it was he who rescued a point for his team, scoring the equalizer in the 90th minute.
Schlotterbeck was also his team’s best player on the pitch thanks to his recovery. In the interview, the 26-year-old central defender, who has been one of the few players in the squad to perform consistently well for weeks, was combative. He spoke of a big-point game in Wolfsburg, in which Bochum have it in their own hands to put themselves in a better position for the final spurt
Bochum facts & analysis
- Place 15 in the table
- Last game draw
- Winless in seven games
Compared to the last game against Leipzig, the Wolves could have a few new players in the starting eleven. If goalkeeper Casteels is fit in time, he will be between the posts. Maxence Lacroix returns to the back line after serving his suspension. In midfield, we expect Joakim Mæhle and Kevin Paredes to replace Kilian Fischer and Aster Vranckx. Jonas Wind also moves into the starting line-up in attack.
Bochum will play in a 4-3-3 formation. In defense, Tim Oermann could be preferred to Felix Passlack. On the wing, we expect coach Letsch to focus on speed and start Christopher Antwi-Adjei from the beginning. Up front, the coach will have to choose between Philipp Hofmann and Moritz Broschinski
Wolfsburg – Bochum head-to-head & stats
There have already been 30 matches between Wolfsburg and Bochum. In addition to 25 games in the Bundesliga, there have been four two-division ties and one clash in the DFB Cup. The balance is relatively even. The Wolves have won twelve games, while Bochum have won 14. If we look at the last six encounters, Wolfsburg have come out on top four times. However, the first leg of this season was won 3:1 by the Ruhr club. The very first match between the two took place in 1993 and went 2-0 to Bochum
Direct comparison (H2H)
