This will be the third meeting between the sides this season already. SC have played twice in Bochum, once in the league and once in the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal. Fans will have fond memories of the most recent match against VfL, as the cup tie between the sides headed to extra time. Just as everyone had begun preparing for penalties, Roland Sallai slotted the ball past Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann in the final minute of extra time to send SCF through to the semis (2-1). “We worked hard for the cup win. We really stuck together in Bochum,” head coach Christian Streich said.

However, the coach doesn’t believe the result from the cup will have any impact on the upcoming match – after all, it will be a new match and a new situation. Instead, Streich pointed to Bochum’s recent string of results, which include a 4-2 win over Bayern and a 2-1 win against Hoffenheim, as proof of their mental strength. “We know what to expect. Bochum are very aggressive and disciplined. They have a strong mentality and are in a strong vein of form right now. It’s incredible difficult to beat them,” said the 56-year-old. “It will be a tough challenge for us, and we will need to deliver a strong all-round performance in order to beat Bochum.”

Streich’s appeal to the fans

Streich wasn’t entirely pleased with his side’s performance after last week’s victory in Frankfurt, saying that the team had lacked conviction in their play. “We need to get that back, and we have to be better in possession. As coaches, we try to help the players regain their self-confidence,” he said. However, this confidence doesn’t only stem from the coaching staff, but also the fans, who Streich addressed directly during the pre-match press conference. “I hope that the noise level in the stadium will be loud. We need the fans to give us all of their support right now for the season run-in. Every point matters, and could determine where we end the season. We need the stadium to be rocking and for the fans to be fully behind the team. They deserve that.”

Exciting games ahead

“We have some incredible games coming up,” Streich said, with an eye on the week ahead. SCF will play twice at home, before heading to Hamburg for the DFB-Pokal semi-final clash against HSV. “The anticipation is rising. The lads all can’t wait for these games. It’s nice to be able to go in feeling a bit relaxed as well,“ Streich said. Yannik Keitel and Kevin Schade will be out for the upcoming matches, with the team “not feeling the pressure” ahead of the season run-in.

 Photo: Bernd Thissen