Three VfL Bochum players have already been under contract with their upcoming opponents. Braunschweig marks the continuation of weeks of basement battles for VfL.

Gerrit Holtmann is currently enjoying a “second spring” with second division soccer club VfL Bochum. In the summer, his departure seemed likely, but he ultimately agreed with the club on a contract extension until June 30, 2027.
After the 30-year-old missed the first matchday due to illness and was only substituted on the second matchday, he has been a regular in VfL’s starting lineup in the league since the third round. Including the DFB Cup, Holtmann has now made twelve competitive appearances. He has been extremely successful, scoring five goals and providing one assist. His goal to make it 2-0 in the match against 1. FC Magdeburg, a key game in the fight against relegation, was particularly important.
Now Bochum faces a series of matches against direct rivals at the bottom of the table in the coming weeks. The first of these is the away game at Eintracht Braunschweig on Sunday, November 9, at 1:30 p.m.
This is a special game for Holtmann, as he played for Eintracht himself between 2014 and 2016 and still has ties to the club. In addition to him, his teammates Philipp Hofmann (2018 to 2019) and Philipp Strompf (2021 to 2023) also know the atmosphere at Braunschweig from their time there.

Before the game, Holtmann expressed mixed feelings: “I’m traveling to Braunschweig with mixed feelings. Both teams are in a difficult situation and are fighting against relegation. I would have liked things to be different – especially for us to be higher up in the table.”

However, a win on Sunday could give VfL further momentum, as Bochum are currently on the rise. The situation is different for Braunschweig: after a promising start to the season, the Lower Saxony club have won only one of their last nine games.

But it’s not just the Braunschweig game that counts. The upcoming matches against Dresden and Fürth are also decisive. Holtmann has a clear view of this crucial phase: “These are three games that are of enormous importance. But both we as a team and our fans can assess the situation soberly. Our goal remains to get the most out of it – that’s our direction.”

Looking ahead to the next opponent, the left winger emphasizes: “We mustn’t be intimidated by Braunschweig’s intense style of play and need to be solid defensively – just as we have been in the last four games. If we keep it tight at the back, it will be difficult for our opponents to score against us.” cb /gp