Bayern Munich will look to record their third win of the league season when they travel to Vonovia Ruhrstadion to face Bochum.
Venue: Vonovia Ruhrstadion (Bochum)
Key Statistics
VfL Bochum have won just one of their last five home games (D1, L3).
They have won just one of their last 15 head-to-head meetings with Bayern Munich (L12, D2).
Four of the five goals Bochum have conceded this Bundesliga season have been headers; a league-high.
Bochum’s Simon Zoller has two goals after two rounds of fixtures. He had two goals and as many assists after three last season.
Bochum’s 4-2 win over Bayern in last term’s reverse fixture was their first against the record champions in the Bundesliga since 14 February 2004. It was also the first time Bayern shipped four first-half goals since 1975/76.
Bayern Munich have not failed to score in a league away fixture since May 2019 (W36, D7, L9).
Sadio Mane has scored two, had two disallowed and hit the woodwork with his six shots on goal as a Bundesliga player.
Thomas Müller has joined Gerd Müller, Klaus Augenthaler and Mehmet Scholl in the Bayern record books as the fourth player to score in 14 different Bundesliga seasons.
Head to head
In 11 recent head-to-head encounters between the two sides, Bayern Munich holds the clear advantage. They have won nine games, lost one and drawn one.
Latest performances in all competitions
Bochum: L-L-W-W-L
Bayern Munich: W-W-W-L-W
Bochum
After losing their first two games of the season, things do not get easier for Bochum, who welcome Bundesliga record holders to the Vonovia Ruhrstadion looking to cause another upset.
The hosts caused the mother of all upsets last year when they beat Bayern Munich 4-2 in this fixture last year. But considering how badly they have started and how bright their visitors have been this term, another upset is unlikely.
Bochum opened their league account of this campaign with a 2-1 loss to Mainz at home before throwing away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 away to Hoffenheim away from home last weekend.
With several players unavailable due to injury, manager Thomas Reis has a job on his hands to repeat last season’s 4-2 win here as Bochum has never won back-to-back meetings with Bayern.
Given that they have won just one home league win in five games (D1, L3), they could be heading for a repeat of the start of 2006/07, which they began with three straight league defeats – one of them at home to Bayern.
Possible Bochum starting line-up
Manuel Riemann, Cristian Gamboa, Vasilios Lampropoulos, Dominique Heintz, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Kevin Stoger, Anthony Losilla, Saidy Janko, Takuma Asano, Silvere Ganvoula M’boussy, Simon Zoller
Injured: Jacek Goralski, Patrick Osterhage
Doubtful: Danilo Soares, Kostas Stafylidis, Jannes Horn, Gerrit Holtmann
Suspended: None
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich will be looking to record their third consecutive win of the season when they travel to Bochum on Sunday.
As expected, the Bavarians are among the early Bundesliga pacesetters with two wins from two after beating Wolfsburg 2-0 last weekend. Goals from Jamal Musiala and Thomas Muller gave Julian Nagelsmann’s side the win and ensured that they remained top of the early table.
However, the win against Wolfsburg was marred by an injury to Serge Gnabry. But the fact that summer signing Sadio Mané has settled in quickly, means that the winger’s loss might not be too keenly felt.
The former Liverpool man has already opened his goal-scoring account for the Bavarians and is helping the club to quickly move on without striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored twice here last term.
With the likes of Leroy Sane able to fill the void left by Gnabry, Bayern will fancy their chances of getting a big win in this game and so keep their place at the top of the table.
Possible Bayern Munich starting line-up
Manuel Neuer, Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Ligt, Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, Ryan Gravenberch, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Sadio Mane.
Injured: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Leon Goretzka
Doubtful: Serge Gnabry
Suspended: None
Prediction
Bochum 0-4 Bayern Munich
