The Swiss manager’s first ten competitive games had been nearly flawless, with eight wins and just one loss. However, the top-of-the-table clash with Bayern Munich, the defending champions, brought Die Werkself back down to earth. Leverkusen have won just one of their last seven matches across all competitions, including the 5-1 defeat to the Bavarians in front of their own fans. The lows of that reality check have influenced the six matches that have come after.
Consequently, the hosts of Saturday’s match have fallen from second place in the standings, where they were level on points with Bayern prior to that match, to sixth place, where they currently stand with 10 points between themselves and leaders Bayern at the top.
Match details
- Match: Leverkusen vs VfL Bochum
- Date: January 26, 2023
- Time: 01:00 AM (IST)
- Venue: BayArena
Prediction
We say: Bayer Leverkusen vs. VfL Bochum, 2-1 The hosts’ chances of winning this game could be determined by whether or not Wirtz and Schick return, as Leverkusen missed them terribly before the international break.
They will be expected to win this match against Bochum’s caliber, regardless of their availability. However, we believe that the score could be much closer given the two teams’ recent form, with the hosts narrowly defeating their visitors.
Head-To-Head
- In the 25 matches that the teams have played, Bayer Leverkusen has beaten Bochum 12 times and lost 9 times.
- In the eight matches that the teams have played, there has only been one draw, which was interesting because it happened in their last match in April 2022 (0-0).
- Bochum has won five of their next eight games after losing their first eight.
- This is Bayer Leverkusen’s longest streak of consecutive home goals against any current Bundesliga team. They have scored in each of their last 18 games against Bochum at home.
- Since April/May 2022, Bayer Leverkusen have won four Bundesliga games in a row, scoring more points in those four games (12) than in their previous 12 games taken together (9).
- This season in the Bundesliga, Die Werkself have given up 28 goals. The last time they had more goals after 16 games was in the 1982-83 season (35).
- For the first time since November 2007, Bochum has won three consecutive games in the Bundesliga.
Team news
As previously stated, the hosts will have hoped that a number of first-team players would be able to recuperate from injuries sustained in previous weeks during the international break.
Seoane will be hoping that Florian Wirtz, an 18-year-old midfielder, has recovered from a muscular injury that kept him out of the 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin last time out. At the moment, the young starlet Florian Wirtz is one of the first names on the team sheet.
Due to an injury to his ankle, top scorer Patrik Schick is expected to miss the game. If he does miss, he will join Mitchel Bakker, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, and Julian Baumgartlinger on the sidelines.
Charles Aranguiz, Karim Bellarabi, and Lucas Alario are listed as doubts. If Alario and Schick are both injured again, Amine Adli could continue to play as a striker.
In the meantime, Danny Blum’s fitness will be a concern for Bochum ahead of their trip to Leverkusen because the winger injured his thigh during the first half of their win over Hoffenheim.
Following his goal in that game, Pantovic could start on the bench, and Novothny could also start in place of Sebastian Polter up front.
Lineup
Bayer Leverkusen:
- Hradecky;
- Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie;
- Andrich, Palacios;
- Diaby, Demirbay, Paulinho;
- Adli
VfL Bochum:
- Riemann;
- Stafylidis, Masovic, Lampropoulos, Soares;
- Lowen, Losilla, Rexhbecaj;
- Asano, Novothny, Pantovic
Betting Tips
- Fixture Result: Leverkusen
- Leverkusen vs VfL Bochum to Score: Yes
Where To Watch
Jio TV, the league’s official partner, will broadcast the matches between Leverkusen and VfL Bochum. The German Bundesliga fixture for Leverkusen vs. VfL Bochum will be available on Sony Sports Network. Leverkusen vs. VfL Bochum matches will now be available on the Sony Liv app.