Bochum vs RB Leipzig prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-03-17 14:30.
A 2-0 victory away to Cologne last week handed Bochum a lifeline in their battle to beat the drop, as they secured three valuable points to climb out of the Bundesliga relegation places. That victory comes with its own little omen though, as three of Bochum’s last four league games have peculiarly seen the away side on the day win 2-0, a feat they will hope to avoid here as they bid to keep their heads above water.
Running into RB Leipzig brings its own complications though, as Bochum have lost all eight competitive H2Hs between the two sides. If it’s any consolation, the three of those defeats to come at home were all decided by one-goal margins, though the psychological scars of a 4-0 defeat to Leipzig in Thomas Letsch’s first league game in charge of Bochum this season could weigh heavy here.
When Erling Haaland swapped the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the summer, Leipzig probably thought they’d seen the last of the former Borussia Dortmund man. However, Haaland was back to haunt Leipzig again with a five-goal haul in their 7-0 midweek UEFA Champions League (UCL) drubbing against Manchester City, marking the Red Bulls’ second successive UCL exit in the last-16 against English opposition.
Leipzig now have a battle on their hands to regain their UCL status for next season, with three sides locked on 45 points from third to fifth. Marco Rose’s men have the advantage of playing before those other two sides this weekend and after insisting he wants his side to “move on” in the wake of that City trouncing, what better way to bounce back than by securing a fifth win in their last seven Bundesliga away games (Last six: W4, D1, L1).
Players to watch: Centre back Erhan Mašović has been an unlikely source of goals for Bochum lately, netting three times after the hour mark across their last seven league games. Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg has netted in four successive Bundesliga games, but with four assists and no goals across six personal H2Hs against Bochum, he may be more of a creator here.
Hot streak: None of Thomas Letsch’s 17 Bundesliga games in charge of Bochum have ended in a draw (W7, L10) – no manager has even seen none of their first 18 end in stalemate.