When the two promoted teams meet in Fürth on Saturday, thoughts also briefly turn to two remarkable clashes in the previous season. With two contrasting experiences for VfL Bochum.
Coach Thomas Reis has very bad memories of the first meeting with the later promoted team on 7 November 2020. The Bochum coach took the defeat against Fürth on his head, saying afterwards that he had encouraged his team to adopt an approach that did not really suit the qualities of this squad.
In the pre-season, the VfL had its advantages especially in the offensive with a courageous style of play. In Reis’ opinion, however, the strength of Greuther Fürth’s play suggested a more defensive approach. “That,” the coach recalls, “went pretty wrong.”
Fürth dominated the game at the Ruhrstadion, had already scored out to a 2-0 lead by the 34th minute and had also missed a penalty. Bochum never really got into the game and inevitably conceded a rather flat defeat on matchday seven. Reis: “Fürth pretty much played us up against the wall there. “
“Of course, you can see which teams have the smallest budgets. “
RICE
The situation was completely different in the return match on 6 March in Franconia. There, the VfL secured three very important points in the promotion race with a strong performance. The decisive goal in the 2-1 win was scored by Robert Zulj, of all people, the ex-Fürth player whom Reis had left out of the first leg due to a lack of attitude.
“We played very bravely and really put an exclamation mark on the relegation battle,” Reis recalled. Bochum greeted us from the top of the table and eventually also managed promotion as second division champions, followed by Greuther Fürth.
For the first time, Bochum will face an opponent on a par with them
Not unexpectedly, both teams are currently at the bottom of the Bundesliga table. “Of course, you can read off that,” says Reis, “which teams have the smallest budgets.” So far, in their four away games, Bochum have met three Champions League starters, Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, as well as a current surprise team, 1. FC Köln. So now, for the first time, an opponent on a par with them awaits in an away game.
Midfielder Robert Tesche, who was voted Player of the Year by the fans in the promotion season, will not be playing on Saturday. The veteran has to miss out due to hip problems and is currently absent from team training.
