Bundesliga: VFL Bochum - Borussia Dortmund

Andre | 25th Aug. 2023 | Sport: Football

Bundesliga Tips: VFL Bochum vs. Borussia Dortmund
In the absence of Schalke, this is the Ruhr derby and I am looking forward to a clash of contrasts. I really like Bochum and the stadium in the middle of the city has its charm, but for me they are the relegationists. Borussia Dortmund had a tough time against Cologne in the first game, but came away with three points. Winning games like that has been a rare occurrence in recent years. Of course, Dortmund also had a lot of luck and Kobel in goal, but I expect a 200% improvement against Bochum. My colleague Kevin has come up with three more tips, which you can find here.

Bochum off to a slow start
I analysed Bochum last weekend in the match against Stuttgart and mentioned their poor preparation, including their elimination from the Pokal. The 5-0 defeat against Stuttgart confirmed my fears, and the performance was really borderline. The defence gave up at times and Riemann in goal was a pain in the neck. With all due respect to Stuttgart, they are not a team that can play their opponents to the wall, especially after the recent departures. Bochum have created zero attacking pressure and the uncertainty is already palpable. I will continue to back Bochum until I see a difference.

Borussia Dortmund must improve
Dortmund were overwhelming favourites on the opening day of the season, but in the end they only managed a 1-0 win over Cologne. Their attacking play was uninspired and Haller was completely out of the game. Significantly, central defender Mats Hummels was the best player on the pitch. I expect Adeyemi to start and Brandt to play at 8. That will help us in attack and I think we will play much better against Bochum. If Dortmund take an early lead, Bochum will collapse and the negative chain will be set in motion.

My Dortmund vs. Bochum prediction
I do not think that Dortmund will win 5-0 here, but a 3-1/4-1 is very likely for me. There will be no stopping Bochum's attacking trio of Malen, Haller, Brandt and Adeyemi, so I expect them to win comfortably. Dortmund have had a good preparation and even though the 1-0 win over Cologne was not a great result, I will not be put off by it. Hopefully they will learn the right lessons.

Bet: Bet 2 - 1,5 Handicap

The best odds are with intertops: 1,91