Borussia Dortmund host Bochum in the Bundesliga tomorrow evening and they will look to build on their recent run of form with a win at home.
Dortmund are coming into this game on the back of two comprehensive victories and they will look to extend their fine run of form. They are 5th in the league table and they will need to continue with their impressive run of form if they want to stand the chance of securing Champions League qualification at the end of the season.
Dortmund will not want to drop points here and they will be desperate for a positive result. The last two matches between these two sides have ended in a draw and Bochum would do well to secure a similar result here.
The away side are 14th in the table and they have picked up two wins from the last four matches across all competitions. They have been difficult to beat in the last couple of meetings against Dortmund and it remains to be seen how the situation develops this time around.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
The home team will be without the services of Julian Ryerson, Julien Duran and Felix Nmecha because of injuries. Sebastien Haller is away on international duty because of the Africa cup of nations.
Dortmund will shape up in a 4-1-3-2 formation with Gregor Kobel in goal. Thomas Meunier and Ian Maatsen will start as the full backs. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
Mats Hummels will start alongside Nico Schlotterbeck in central defence. Emre Can will start as the defensive midfielder here and he will look to break up opposition attacks.
Marcel Sabitzer will start as the central attacking midfielder here, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third. Julian Brandt and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens will start in the wide areas.
Niclas Fullkrug will lead the line for Whites here alongside Donyell Malen.
Probable Lineup (4-1-3-2): Kobel; Meunier, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Can; Brandt, Sabitzer, Bynoe-Gittens; Fullkrug, Malen
Bochum
The away side will be without the services of Mohammed Tolba because of an injury. Bernardo is suspended for this game and Takuma Asano is away on international duty.
The visitors will shape up in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Manuel Riemann in goal.
Cristian Gamboa and Tim Oermann will start as the full backs and they will look to add defensive cover to the side and help out during counter attacks.
Erhan Masovic and Ivan Ordets will start in central defence.
Matus Bero will start out wide, along with Kevin Stoger. The two players who look to help out in the wide areas and create goalscoring opportunities.
Patrick Osterhage will start alongside Anthony Losilla in the middle of the park, and they will look to keep things compact defensively and break up opposition attacks.
Christopher Antwi-Adjei will start in the number 10 roll and he will look to link the midfield with the attack.
Goncalo Paciencia Will start as the striker here.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Riemann; Gamboa, Masovic, Ordets, Oermann; Bero, Osterhage, Losilla, Stoger; Antwi-Adjei; Paciencia
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund are undefeated in 33 of their last 37 matches (Bundesliga).
- Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in five of the last six matches against Bochum.
- Five of the last six matches between these two sides have seen both teams get on the score sheet.
- 19 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two sides.
Key Player
Julian Brandt
The 27-year-old German midfielder is our key player to watch out for. He has eight goals and eight assists across all competitions this season and he has been in impressive form. He will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and Dortmund will need him to step up if they want to break down the away defence.
Brandt has chipped in with a goal or an assist in four of his last six appearances. He has picked up two goals and three assists in that time. It remains to be seen with they can produce a poor performance here.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Bochum
The home team will be the favourites having into this contest, and they should be able to pick up all three points here.
The two sides are quite evenly matched on current form, but Dortmund have the better set of players and they have been difficult to beat recently. This is likely to be a close contest between the two teams and Dortmund are likely to come away victorious in the end.