With two wins in a row, VfL Bochum has freed itself in the Bundesliga, the cup success against FC Augsburg provides further euphoria. Against Gladbach on Sunday, Thomas Reis will also be relying on a defender who is only now fully convincing after a long run-in.
Bochum’s coach had changed half the team before the cup match against Augsburg (5:4 i.E.), and many of the replacements recommended themselves emphatically for further tasks. Suddenly there are alternatives in practically all parts of the team.
“We had a lot of changes in the starting eleven,” Reis sums up, “but they are also all players who are very close.” What could the formation look like on Sunday in Mönchengladbach? “Maybe,” says Reis, “there will be a mix of the two starting formations from the Frankfurt and Augsburg games. “
The Bochum defence will have a mammoth task ahead of them
Whoever his colleague Adi Hütter will field at Borussia-Park on Sunday after the exhilarating 5-0 win over Bayern: The Bochum defence has a mammoth task ahead of it. After all, the promoted team survived three of the last four league games without conceding a goal and seems to have stabilised its defence. Now comes a real acid test.
Masovic is now a permanent fixture
A player who was hardly in demand in his first year in Bochum has also contributed to this and has virtually suddenly come out of the woodwork. Very young, but still a late bloomer. Erhan Masovic, who came to Bochum from FC Brugge in October 2020, is now a permanent fixture in the team, after being nothing more than a fellow traveller in his debut season at Castroper Straße.
Use his chance as a centre-back
After all, the Serbian defender was hardly used at all at first, was only in the starting eleven twice, and made eight appearances in total, mostly in defensive midfield. But now he has taken his chance as a central defender in an unexcited and confident manner and is “on the move with a pulse that feels like 35”, as Thomas Reis mentions appreciatively.
“There were already critical voices as to whether he would even be up to the demands,” Reis recalls. “There he gave an impressive answer.” The 22-year-old radiates an enormous calmness even in distress, and this composure is transmitted to the others.
“It’s noticeable how he tries to accept things and improve,” praises sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz, “in addition, he is enormously hard-working and is playing very stably at the moment. But we’re also sure that there’s still more to come from him. “
Reis: “He’s also floating on a little wave of euphoria right now “
In Mönchengladbach, Masovic will continue to be first choice. “He has now also played a few games in a row for the full season. But,” said Reis, “he is also swimming on a little wave of euphoria right now and is packing it in. “
“Toto Losilla is a machine “
By the way, Reis expects the same from his captain, who is always leading the way as an extremely strong runner anyway, and who apparently can’t be harmed by an English week. “Toto Losilla,” says Reis, “is a machine. You can always let him play. He’s the one I’m least worried about not having enough strength. “
