Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen

Vonovia Ruhrstadion is the venue as Bochum and Bayer Leverkusen go head-to-head in an exciting Bundesliga match-up. 

Relegation-battling Bochum have taken their ‘make or break’ situation quite seriously, dispatching TSG Hoffenheim and Union Berlin in high-scoring fixtures over the past two matchdays. Interestingly, they won the first half via multi-goal margins and without conceding on each occasion, only to capitulate at least twice beyond halftime. The hosts must avoid such lapses of concentration against the new champions if they’re to extend their three-point lead on the bottom three. Leverkusen swept them aside with a commanding 4-0 win in the reverse fixture, yet Bochum have only beaten two other sides more often than Die Werkself (17 times) in the Bundesliga. However, their home form can’t inspire much confidence, as they had gone winless in four consecutive home league games (D2, L2) before a 3-2 triumph against Hoffenheim last time out.

On the other hand, visiting Leverkusen preserved their aura of invincibility with a stunning late comeback to hold Roma to a 2-2 draw in the return leg of their Europa League semi-final tie and book tickets for the showpiece event in Dublin. In addition to setting up a grand final against Atalanta, Xabi Alonso’s men have become the owners of the longest unbeaten record in European football history, having avoided defeat in their last 49 competitive outings (W40, D9). Last weekend’s 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt saw Die Werkself become the first side in Bundesliga history to go unbeaten in the first 32 rounds (W26, D6) and could now join a select club of only three teams to have gone undefeated on the road the entire Bundesliga campaign!