VfL Bochum have pulled themselves out of the Bundesliga basement. Now the leaders await VfL at the end of the year.

What had already been foreshadowed in recent weeks has been increasingly confirmed. VfL Bochum are difficult to beat in the Bundesliga.

Their recent record: seven games, six times VfL have not lost. Only at TSG Hoffenheim was there a defeat, in the remaining games – almost all basement duels – VfL has shown what it can do.

Even in the draws against Mainz or 1. FC Köln, VfL was the dominant team. VfL sporting director Marc Lettau sums up the season so far as follows: “We only have one goal, and that is to stay in the league. We didn’t get off to a good start to the season. However, we have been very stable for some time now, even if there was a defeat in Freiburg or Hoffenheim, we are much more stable. That’s why we think we’re on the right track.”

This was underpinned by the 3-0 win against Union Berlin at the weekend, the next deserved three-pointer, as the visitors also had to admit. VfL therefore go into the final matchday of 2023 with a six-point lead over the relegation places

This was not to be expected after the first few matchdays, but extending the lead looks very difficult on Wednesday (20:30). The team will face leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who have dominated the Bundesliga in the current round.

The Bayer team have yet to lose, so Lettau knows what to expect from Bochum: “We were extremely pleased with the win against Berlin. Also about the way it came about. Now we’re coming up against Bayer Leverkusen, one of the best teams in Germany, if not the best at the moment. They have many facets and are very difficult to play against. They are strong with and without the ball. We’ll have to really come up with something. The coaching team is working on a solution.”

Lettau particularly emphasizes the “speed” and “physicality” of Leverkusen, who also have one of the outstanding individual players in their ranks in Florian Wirtz. As a result, nobody expects VfL to win, but that has often been the case this season.

Perhaps coach Thomas Letsch’s team will pull off the next surprise. cb / gp