With the momentum of the 2-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Bochum also want to take the cup hurdle of Augsburg. There could be a change of players in a key position.
Manuel Riemann proved his top form not only when he saved Goncalo Paciencia’s penalty against Eintracht Frankfurt (2:0). The Bochum keeper is also enormously important for his team as a vociferous driving force and a first line player with good footballing skills.
Esser could deputise for Riemann against Augsburg
But it’s quite possible that Riemann’s deputy Michel “Bruno” Esser will be called upon in Wednesday’s cup match against Augsburg, simply to keep the number 2 happy and excited as well. As a little reward for the training session, so to speak. “I’ll talk about that with everyone involved first,” says coach Thomas Reis. It is not impossible that Esser, who comes from Castrop-Rauxel, will indeed make his Bochum comeback.
Whether he will at least start with the same ten outfield players as against Eintracht Frankfurt after the third win of the season is naturally left open by Reis on the day before the meeting with the struggling Augsburg side. On the one hand, of course, the squad has proven itself and could consolidate further in the next home game on Wednesday. At the same time, however, it is important to conserve energy after the intense game against Eintracht and before Sunday’s meeting with Borussia Mönchengladbach. After all, several players are coming off injuries and are far from being at full strength.
Blum, Asano, Gamboa: Several players not yet at 100 per cent
For example, Danny Blum, who returned to the starting eleven for the first time in six months, is still not at 100 per cent, as are Takuma Asano and Cristian Gamboa, who had previously been forced to rest due to injury. “I will look closely at training, logically,” Reis announced. “I’ll look at the faces, and of course we’ll have to consider with some of them whether they can manage to play at such a high level three times in one week.”
Naturally, however, the success against Eintracht inspires, “when you win,” said Reis, “of course, the grains are replenished faster.” Not dissatisfied, Reis also let it be known that his team, which had previously been criticised for its weakness in running, is now going further, “even against Eintracht it was over 113 kilometres again,” reported the Bochum coach.
The opponent is battered and weakening in the Bundesliga, but “in another competition,” said Reis, “Augsburg will try to make a statement.”
20,000 spectators were in attendance at Castroper Straße on Sunday. Unless they were die-hard Eintracht fans, they will have made their way home highly satisfied. The game against FC Augsburg, however, is far from sold out. Once again, 20,000 spectators have been admitted, only 12,000 tickets have been sold. VfL Bochum has announced that tickets can still be purchased in the online shop until shortly before kick-off.