Position
Joy and frustration were 24 hours apart for VfL Bochum last weekend. The late equaliser from Keven Schlotterbeck away to Hertha Berlin on Saturday afternoon ensured huge euphoria amongst the 12,000 travelling Bochum fans. The goal in the fourth minute of added time saw VfL retain fifteenth place enabling them to maintain the lead over Schalke who levelled late in the game in a 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. Seventeenth-placed VfB Stuttgart needed to drop points in their Sunday match away to Mainz 05 for the situation on the final matchday to be more comfortable.
However, the Swabians did VfL no favours with a 4-1 victory taking them above Bochum into fifteenth position. The team under coach Thomas Letsch slipped back into the play-off spot level on points with VfB and one point ahead of Schalke. "The play-off spot is in our own hands and that's crucial," said Letsch. Finishing sixteenth would be the next best solution according to the coach. A victory against Bayer 04 and suitable results for the direct rivals Stuttgart and Augsburg would see them move up to fourteenth. If things go badly for VfL on Saturday than they could be relegated in seventeenth position.
"We have one game to play and we’ll give our all at home in front of our fantastic crowd to achieve our big target," declared captain Anthony Losilla with his teammates straight after the final whistle in Berlin looking forward to the match against the Werkself. Staying up, the play-off spot or relegation – for VfL, who have only won one of their last eight games, these are all possible scenarios.
Personnel
Thomas Letsch has his full squad available for the big season finale against Bayer 04. Defensive all-rounder Konstantinos Stafylidis and midfielder Patrick Osterhage are back in the squad. The former Leverkusen player Stafylidis missed out against Hertha Berlin due to pains in his ribs and shoulders. Osterhage has faced a longer lay-off due to muscle problems. Philip Förster (Achilles) and Erhan Masovic (head injury), who suffered knocks in the capital last Saturday, have been able to take part in full training during the week and could well be in the starting eleven against Bayer 04.
Goalkeeper Manuel Riemann, who is the only Bochum player to start all 33 league games this term, is a first choice. The 34-year-old keeper together with 37-year-old Anthony Losilla are the main performers and key players on who so much depends at the moment. "Two for the showdown," was a fitting assessment of the two experienced and long-serving Bochum players in Kicker. Reimann, at VfL since 2015, and Losilla, at Castroper Straße since 2014, have experienced all the highs and lows with the club.
The Ukrainian Ivan Ordets has proved to be irreplaceable in defence. Alongside him in central defence is Erhan Masovic while winter signing Keven Schlotterbeck (SC Freiburg) has only come on as a substitute in recent weeks. The 26-year-old did score his second Bundesliga goal against Hertha Berlin – the first was also against the Berlin team in the Hinrunde. Letsch will probably play Dominique Heintz (left) and Saidy Janko in the full-back positions.
The regular first choices in midfield alongside the captain Losilla are Kevin Stöger and Philipp Förster. Up front, Philipp Hofmann is the main man, who is currently going through a goals drought (see problems), but he is the target man in the opposition box who often lays off the ball for teammates and is very important to the side as a physically strong hard worker. Tempo and a goal threat on the wings is provided by the Japanese Takuma Asano and Christopher Antwi-Adjei. The latter with eight assists and three goals together with Philipp Förster (nine assists, two goals) are the top scorers and providers for Bochum. Options on the bench in attack are Simon Zoller and Gerrit Holtmann.
Performers
Bochum have picked up 23 of their 32 points at home. On their own turf, they have beaten teams like Union Berlin (2-1) and recently RB Leipzig (1-0). The 3-2 victory against FC Augsburg once again showed that VfL are battling to stay up with passion and team spirit, with drive and determination. Even though Bochum have again and again suffered setbacks against direct rivals such as the 2-0 defeat to Schalke 04 or the 3-2 loss against VfB Stuttgart as well as bitter blows like the 5-1 mauling by VfL Wolfsburg: The team led by Thomas Letsch has the ability to bounce back with the support of their fans. They will be right behind their team as the 12 man in the final game of the season. "The support is and remains sensational," enthused Letsch, "all hell will break loose on Saturday, we are required to perform and have the obligation to give something back."
Problems
Bochum have the weakest defence in the league with 72 goals conceded and also have the worst goal difference (-35). VfL are also bottom in another ranking: No other team has conceded as many goals from set pieces as Bochum (26). The Letsch team is vulnerable in the air at the back – opponents have scored 15 headed goals as Hertha did last Saturday with a strike from Lucas Tousart. Only Hertha have conceded more headed goals. Although Keven Schlotterbeck scored an equaliser in added time in the capital, Bochum have mostly proved to be ineffective late on in games. VfL have only scored six goals in the final 15 minutes of games, which is fewer than any other team. Bochum have the second weakest attack in the league after Schalke 04 (33) with just 37 goals scored. Top goalscorer Philipp Hofmann has not found the back of the net in the last six games. The 30-year-old scored a total of eight goals but only to have come in the Rückrunde.
Prediction
One team is fighting to stay up, the other for a European spot. "It's like a final," said Bayer 04 coach Xabi Alonso who is looking to win in Bochum to secure progress to a European competition in the forthcoming season. VfL Bochum will also give their all once again to achieve the "third miracle" after promotion in 2021 and staying up in 2022. A win against Bayer 04 would mean a play-off spot at least but the ideal scenario would see them stay in the top-flight. Irrespective of the outcome of the final game, Bochum face rebuilding their squad ahead of the new campaign. A lot of player contracts are running out. A new start in the Bundesliga would be preferable for anybody supporting VfL.
