Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen preview: Champions stuck in rut

Bochum

Bochum were dismantled by Eintracht Frankfurt in their last Bundesliga match on November 2, allowing five goals within the first 32 minutes and ultimately suffering a 7-2 defeat.

This recent turmoil may partially stem from the instability under interim manager Markus Feldhoff, but with Dieter Hecking appointed on November 4 to lead the team through the rest of the season, fans are hopeful he can swiftly instil a new approach.

Hecking’s squad faces Saturday’s fixture on a dismal run, having lost 10 of their last 11 Bundesliga games without a single victory and conceding 22 goals over their last five league outings.

Bochum’s home form offers a modest improvement, with six points gained from their last ten home league matches. However, they have still lost four of their previous five Bundesliga games at Vonovia Ruhrstadion.

Team News

Bochum will be without left-back Bernardo until late November, meaning their backline is expected to consist of Felix Passlack, Jakov Medic, Ivan Ordets, and Maximilian Wittek.

With goalkeeper Manuel Riemann still suspended following internal disputes last season over playing time, Patrick Drewes is likely to start in goal. Up front, Myron Boadu remains sidelined with a hip injury, so Bochum will likely field Moritz Broschinski and Philipp Hofmann as a strike partnership.

Bayer Leverkusen

Under Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen seemed poised to secure a draw against Liverpool after keeping them scoreless for over an hour. However, Arne Slot’s team found their stride late, scoring four goals in the final 30 minutes, dropping Leverkusen to 14th in the Champions League standings.

The final score was arguably a fair reflection, as Leverkusen’s 0.8 expected goals (xG) fell significantly short of Liverpool’s total, which was nearly four times higher.

Back in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen played to a 0-0 draw with Stuttgart on November 1, which Alonso praised as their most cohesive performance of the season, commending the squad’s pressing and chance creation.

Leverkusen have already dropped points five times this season, with four draws and one loss from nine Bundesliga matches in 2024-25. This is a notable contrast to last season, when they only dropped points in six matches across the entire campaign.

In their last five matches, Leverkusen have recorded three draws, one loss, and one win. They’ve scored 20 goals while conceding 15 in the Bundesliga, ranking as the league’s third-best offensive and joint 10th-best defensive team.

Their defeat at Anfield marked Leverkusen's first away loss in any competition since a 3-0 defeat to Bochum in May 2023.

Team News

For Leverkusen, attacker Amine Adli is out with a broken leg and will not return until late March. Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface are expected to feature prominently in the forward line, potentially joined by Martin Terrier.

In defence, Jeanuel Belocian and Nordi Mukiele are unavailable, so Alonso will likely deploy Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah, and Piero Hincapie as his central defenders on Saturday.