Bayern welcomes VfL Bochum back to Munich for the first time since 2010. Newly promoted Bochum will attempt to hang on for dear life in the Bundesliga this season and faces a near-impossible test vs the nine-time defending champions.
Bayern is an astronomical three-goal soccer betting favorite and is listed at -1300 odds to win.
Game: Bayern Munich vs VfL Bochum
Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Date/Time: Saturday, 9:30 a.m. ET
Head to Head
Bayern is 24-2-10 all-time vs Bochum. Bochum’s last Bundesliga season was in 2010, so the clubs have only met twice since then, with Bayern winning DFB-Pokal matches at Bochum in 2016 and 2019. Bochum hasn’t beaten Bayern in the last 12 meetings and last beat the Bavarian club in 2004.
Business as Usual for Bayern
Bayern is coming off of a commanding 4-1 win at Leipzig and a 5-0 victory vs Hertha. The reigning champions have looked unstoppable since a 1-1 draw vs Borussia Mönchengladbach and have scored a Bundesliga-high 13 goals.
Following transfer rumors, star striker Robert Lewandowski stayed put after scoring 41 goals, a single-season Bundesliga record. Lewandowski has picked up where he left off and already has six goals through four matches. Utility man Joshua Kimmich has been his usual excellent self, picking up three assists.
Serge Gnabry and 18-year-old prodigy Jamal Musiala have added two goals of their own to help the Bavarians to the league’s best goal difference. With eight goals from two home matches, Bayern is a threat to blow out Bochum and is one of the best soccer picks in any league.
Bayern added former RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann and captain Marcel Sabitzer over the summer in a relatively quiet window for the club. With all of the talent on the roster, Sabitzer is a luxury more than a necessity.
Bochum’s Return to Top Flight
Founded in 1848, VfL Bochum is among the oldest sports clubs in the world. Now, Bochum is back in the Bundesliga following 11 seasons in the 2. Bundesliga.
The North Rhine-Westphalia club didn’t exactly make a splash in the transfer market to try compete with the big boys in the top flight. Joint top scorer from 2020-21 Robert Zulj departed for Qatar, and Bochum relied on a bevy of free transfers to regroup.
Bochum signed wingers Takuma Asano and Christopher Antwi-Adjei and striker Sebastian Polter to bolster its attack. Bochum also signed Greek International LB Kostas Stafylidis and center midfielders Eduard Löwen and Elvis Rexhbecaj on loan.
Whether Bochum’s bargain business will be enough to stay in the Bundesliga remains a pressing question. So far, the promoted club has taken three points from four matches, with its only result a 2-0 win vs Mainz. Bochum has been a poor pick for betting online away from home.
In its last match, Bochum lost 3-1 to Hertha in Berlin and dropped its Bundesliga opener 1-0 at Wolfsburg.
Prediction
VfL Bochum last won at Bayern 30 years ago so the +2500 sportsbook moneyline for Bochum isn’t too surprising. Interestingly, though, Bochum managed to keep the season opener vs league leaders Wolfsburg close at 1-0 and has yet to be defeated by more than two goals.
The three-goal spread is very wide, even if Bayern is more than capable of covering it. We could see a little bit of squad rotation following Bayern’s midweek Champions League clash with Barcelona, which could work in Bochum’s favor. Bayern should absolutely win this game, but bet on Bochum to keep it within reason.
