A Reunion with History: A Closer Look at VfL Bochum

Cup football under the lights at Castroper Straße: Mainz face VfL Bochum in the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday evening (6 PM CET, live on Sky, RTL+ and 05ER.fm). The 05ER will be looking to put last weekend's 2-3 defeat against Werder Bremen behind them as quickly as possible and make a winning start to their first week with three matches this season. More than 2,500 travelling supporters will be backing Mainz as they look to secure a place in the round of 16.

We take a closer look at the upcoming opponents and what both sides bring into a fixture that has produced its fair share of drama over the years.

The Situation at Bochum

After nine matchdays, VfL Bochum sit 14th in the 2. Bundesliga with eight points, level on points with bottom-placed Darmstadt. It's been far from an ideal start for the club from the Ruhr region. Bochum found themselves in a similar situation last season, sitting second from bottom with just three points after eight matches. Uwe Rösler subsequently took over as head coach and guided the team to the safety of mid-table. However, there is still plenty to play for this season, with just four points separating seventh-placed St. Pauli and bottom side SV Darmstadt 98.

The competitive nature of the league was on full display last matchday, when Bochum earned a well-deserved 1-1 draw against VfL Wolfsburg, showing exactly what they are capable of. However, it was only the second time they had picked up points in front of their home fans this season, leaving them with the worst home record in the division. Their away form tells a different story, though. All three of their wins this season have come on the road, including a 2-1 victory over SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the DFB-Pokal – a result that might sound familiar to a few Mainz fans.

The Squad

Bochum's squad has undergone a major overhaul since last season. The club brought in no fewer than 15 new signings during the summer transfer window, while four academy players were promoted to the first team. However, those changes haven't been fully reflected in the starting line-up, as Rösler continues to rely on several players from last season, making occasional changes in certain positions.

The experienced core of the team consists of captain Timo Horn in goal, Maximilian Wittek at left-back, former Mainz player Gerrit Holtmann on the wing and Philipp Hofmann as the main target man up front. There are plenty of new faces in defence, with Karol Mets, Sean Kleiber and Michael Steinwender tasked with keeping things tight at the back. In central midfield, Rösler puts his faith in youngsters Mats Pannewig and Tom Meyer, the latter being one of three players promoted from the club's U19 side. Further forward, new signings Christian Rasmussen and Berkan Taz are expected to provide an attacking threat alongside Hofmann and Koji Miyoshi. Taz, in particular, arrives with an impressive record, having registered 38 goal contributions for SV Verl last season.

However, the 27-year-old German-Turkish attacker has yet to replicate that form, reflecting the struggles of Bochum's attack as a whole. With just six goals scored, Rösler's side have the least productive attack in the league. Defensively, though, things look much more promising. Bochum's newly assembled backline appears to have found its rhythm straight away, having never conceded more than two goals in a single match across all competitions this season.

Previous Meetings

The last meeting between the two sides saw Mainz seal Bochum's seventh relegation from the Bundesliga with a convincing 4-1 victory. Goals from Nadiem Amiri, Phillipp Mwene and Jonny Burkardt put the 05ER firmly on course for an away win, before Paul Nebel added a fourth late on. The victory saw Mainz leapfrog RB Leipzig into sixth place, and they went on to secure qualification for the Conference League on the following matchday. Overall, Mainz have enjoyed a strong record against Bochum, with 14 wins, four draws and just six defeats in their 24 meetings.

However, the story is a little different in the DFB-Pokal. The two sides have met twice in the competition, with Mainz being eliminated on both occasions. In the 2020/21 season, the 05ER looked set to progress until Bochum struck a stoppage-time equaliser and eventually knocked them out in a memorable penalty shootout. A year later, the teams met again in the round of 16, and once again Mainz came out on the losing side, suffering a 1-3 defeat. The DFB-Pokal has generally proved a difficult competition for the 05ER in recent years. Mainz have been eliminated in the second round in each of the last three seasons and have not reached the quarter-finals for eight years. It's about time that changed!

Match Officials

Michael Bacher (referee), Nico Fuchs and Martin Thomsen (assistant referees), Günter Perl (VAR), Mike Pickel (assistant VAR).