Uwe Rösler, coach of VfL Bochum, has given some insight into his plans for the match against Kiel. He issued a strong warning about the opponent, who currently sits second-to-last in the standings.

VfL Bochum heads into Matchday 27 of the 2. Bundesliga in ninth place. But appearances can be deceiving ahead of the home game against second-to-last Holstein Kiel.

If VfL loses its home game against Kiel on Sunday (1:30 p.m.), its lead over the teams below would become very slim again. Kiel could close the gap to five points, so coach Uwe Rösler’s team must deliver.

In terms of personnel, the coach has almost a full squad to choose from. Romario Rösch is definitely out; Kevin Vogt (ill) was able to train lightly on Friday; Francis Onyeka also trained after experiencing muscle issues in his thigh during the week. He might be ready by Sunday; Gerrit Holtmann will definitely be in the squad.

Looking ahead to the opponent, Rösler makes it clear that he doesn’t expect a team that’s down and out. “I didn’t see a struggling team when Kiel played Nuremberg. They should never have lost that game. That’s just how the 2. Bundesliga is. They have a solid structure and haven’t earned enough points for their performances in recent games. They’re one of the fastest teams with the best sprinters. We’ll have to put in our best performance of the second half of the season to win this game.”
The former pro already knows how he’ll approach it: “Under their new coach, Kiel isn’t weak in one-on-one battles. They’re very eager, and you don’t see them playing with the fear of relegation. We can’t rely solely on one-on-one battles. We have to communicate a lot. We have to capitalize on opportunities in transition. We need to be efficient there.”

Rösler hasn’t quite settled on his starting lineup for this match yet. In defense, he has to decide between Erhan Masovic and Noah Loosli for an open spot. Mats Pannewig will start again after serving his yellow card suspension, as he said: “Mats Pannewig is coming into the team. Matus Bero and Cajetan Lenz have different skills than Mats, and we always have to try to get the best mix of playing style, tackling, and tactics.”