Bayern Munich eager to return to winning ways after Barca defeat.

2024-10-21

As bottom-placed Bochum, fresh off managerial shifts, prepare to face top-tier Bayern Munich, they aim to channel their rare home success against the Bavarian giants into a potential David-versus-Goliath victory at Vonovia Ruhrstadion on Sunday evening.

VfL Bochum 1848

After parting ways with manager Peter Zeidler following a 3-1 loss to Hoffenheim last weekend, bottom-placed Bochum will be looking to cause the biggest upset in the Bundesliga as they face table-topping Bayern. The club made a statement confirming the departure of Zeidler and sporting director Marc Lettau from their roles due to a lack of conviction that the team could avoid relegation from the German top division under their management.

As one of the two Bundesliga sides without a win, along with Holstein Kiel, last weekend's defeat condemned Bochum to three losses in a row [LDLLL]. Bochum have only one point [0W, 1D, 6L] ahead of Sunday’s fixture, which can easily be described as a meeting between David and Goliath.

The hosts are three points shy of the relegation play-off spot as they go in search of a maiden season win despite the odds. They will be looking to draw inspiration from a recent improvement in home form against Bayern.

Since their return to the Bundesliga in 2021, VfL Bochum have won two of their three league home games against FC Bayern München. That is just as many victories as they managed in their previous 21 top-flight home games against FCB combined.

A 4-4-2 formation with Philipp Hofmann and Myron Boadu in attack is expected.

FC Bayern München

Bayern were surprisingly on the losing end of a 4-1 scoreline against Barcelona under former employee Hansi Flick. A hat trick from Raphinha [1’, 45', 56’] along with a goal from Robert Lewandowski [36’], who opted for a muted celebration, sank Bayern on UCL Match Day 3.

Bayern [LWWWW] will now shift their focus to the weekend’s game against Bochum, aiming to return to winning ways. Both sides currently share 17 points ahead of the weekend round of fixtures, and Bayern hopes to create some distance between themselves and RB Leipzig.

Despite managing just one clean sheet in their last 15 Bundesliga away games, Bayern München have netted an impressive 17 goals in their first four Bundesliga away matches this season, marking a new club record they wish to extend.

They are expected to field a 4—2—3—1 formation, with Harry Kane leading the attack; Kane scored Bayern’s sole goal in the UCL defeat to Barca. However, Aleksandar Pavlovic is ruled out of the weekend’s game.