Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen preview: Can Die Werkself clinch a third consecutive victory?
Gerardo Seoane's side will travel to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion looking to pick up three points that would help them tighten their grip on third place, while Bochum are aiming to collect back-to-back wins.
| Gerardo Seoane. |
Bochum
After winning promotion to the top flight last season, Bochum have enjoyed a steady campaign, and with six games remaining their place in the Bundesliga looks all but secure.
Seven points is the gap that separates the hosts from the bottom three, and they head into Sunday's encounter with an air of confidence after beating Hoffenheim 2-1 last weekend. It was a result that ended a run of six away games without a win.
Bochum return to home surroundings this weekend, and it will be the first time that Thomas Reis' side have played a competitive match at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion since their meeting with Borussia Monchengladbach was abandoned after an assistant referee was hit by a beer cup.
At the time of the abandonment, Bochum were trailing 2-0 and that was the score that was subsequently awarded to Gladbach.
Despite losing two of their last three home matches, Die Unabsteigbaren tend to do their best work at home demonstrated by the fact that the hosts hold the joint third-best defensive home record. Bochum's sturdy defence will certainly be tested on Sunday, when they come up against a Leverkusen side that have scored 33 goals in their 14 away league matches.
Team News
Reis has stated that Jürgen Locadia and Christopher Antwi-Adjei will miss the contest, although Simon Zoller could return to the squad following a long injury layoff.
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen are hoping to keep hold of third spot and the signs are positive after they bounced back from three consecutive defeats in all competitions with back-to-back victories. Paulinho's late brace helped them overcome Wolfsburg before they edged out Hertha BSC in their last outing.
Die Werkself head to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion with the third-best away record in the league, having only lost three away Bundesliga games this season, while they have also only lost once in their previous five away matches.
After missing out on Champions League qualification last term, Leverkusen look set to return to Europe's elite competition, although they cannot afford to rest on their laurels with the likes of Leipzig, Freiburg and Hoffenheim all battling it out for a top-four spot.
Team News
The visitors are without a number of players. Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Amine Adli are all expected to miss the rest of the season, although Kerem Demirbay could return to the side after missing the Hertha clash through suspension.
