VFL Bochum 1848 vs RB Leipzig Prediction: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals to be expected

A team looking to close off the season strong in the Bundesliga and possibly qualify for European football (Bochum) is set to host a team that is fighting for Champions League football next season (RB Leipzig) on 3rd March 2024 at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion at 17:30 (GMT + 3). 

On week 23 of the Bundesliga, Bochum lost to Borussia Monchengladbach in a high-scoring game. However, Bochum's win over title-chasing Bayern Munich at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion is still fresh on the team's mind and will give the team the much-needed confidence going into the game. Bochum is presently eight points above the relegation playoff place in the Bundesliga standings with 25 points after 22 games.

Currently ranked fifth in the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig has enjoyed a good season thus far. Although Leipzig lost to Bayern Munich, the defeat of Borussia Monchengladbach (2-0) the week before will give the away team confidence coming into this game.

With their historic victory over Bayern last weekend, Bochum pulled three points clear of Gladbach and created a significant distance between themselves and the drop zone. In addition to being expensive for Bayern and vital for Bochum, the 3-2 victory at the Ruhrstadion also resulted in the club's announcement that Thomas Tuchel will leave after the current campaign. Bochum's relegation worries have been allayed by just one of their six losses in 2024, which came against Borussia Dortmund. Their lone victory during that run of play came against Stuttgart, another team in the top three.

Bochum is currently nine points ahead of Koln in 16th place, and they may be among the several teams aiming for an improbable European run. If Bochum can keep scoring points consistently, they can close the four-point deficit to seventh place, since many of the teams just outside the top six are now playing inconsistently. 

Leipzig began 2024 with a dismal loss in their first three Bundesliga games of the year, but they have now turned the turnaround and are back in the running for Champions League qualifying after obtaining seven of the nine points that were available this month. Last weekend, Die Roten Bullen was by Bayern Munich. Die Bullen had previously defeated Union Berlin 2-0 and drawn 2-2 at Augsburg.

After drawing with Wolfsburg, Marco Rose's team, which had earlier in the week recovered from a 1-0 first-leg loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16, are still in fifth place in the Bundesliga standings but have closed the gap to just one point over fourth-place Borussia Dortmund.

Bochum has turned things around quickly. Bochum started the season on a bad note but has rediscovered their form in the second half of the season so Leipzig will need to put up a solid performance this weekend. Bochum has to stay perfect in the Bundesliga to keep their slim hopes of European football next season alive. That will be hard to do against Leipzig, though.

Even though Die Roten Bullen is a difficult opponent for Bochum, we believe the guests may cause their hosts frustration and take home a share of the spoils in a thrilling match that features a lot of goals, especially in light of the opposing camps' different mindsets.

Expect both teams to score nd over 2.5 goals to be scored. ALso, expect over 3.5 cards to be shown.