“We want to play our game in Bochum and not VfL’s”

“When it comes to derbies, everyone thinks of Dortmund versus Schalke. However, you have also felt in recent years how important the game is for VfL Bochum,” said BVB coach Edin Terzic prior to the clash with the Ruhr neighbours. “We’re definitely ready, regardless of how heated and intense the game is. We have great desire and also have something to make amends for in Bochum.” It is the third time this year that BVB will be making the short journey down the B1 to Bochum. The Black & Yellows won 2-1 in the DFB-Pokal last 16 in February and drew 1-1 in the Bundesliga in April.

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Only Brandt nets for BVB in 1-1 draw with FSV

“The unsatisfying end to an unsatisfactory first half of the season”

Two completely different halves

In the past, VfL’s style of play has been shaped by lots of challenges, one-on-one situations across the entire pitch and dangerous set-pieces. “That has been a stumbling block for many teams. They looked very good last season, especially in home games,” said Terzic, who has been in talks with his team since Sunday about what kind of opponent he expects, before referencing the recent draw in Bochum once again. “We were able to create chances for ourselves in the first period. In the second, it became the game that VfL Bochum had envisaged: with many challenges and with a lot of passiveness on our part. Then it becomes easier for the opponent to create one-on-one situations.” The coach emphasised: “We shall set out to do the things that were correct and promising from the first minute to the last, and to play our game in Bochum and not VfL’s.”

Bochum with two defeats

Bochum have lost both of their competitive games this season: VfL were eliminated by Arminia Bielefeld on penalties in the first round of the cup and then lost 5-0 away to VfB Stuttgart in their opening Bundesliga match. “They were very unsatisfied not only with the performance but with the margin of the defeat too. There was immediately a huge chance for VfL in the first minute, they should’ve taken the lead then. They also did not take a big chance to bring it back to 2-1. Then it became clear-cut. That will frustrate them and make them set their sights high for their first home match,” Terzic said.

BVB won 6-1 away to Schott Mainz in the DFB-Pokal before beating Köln 1-0 in their Bundesliga opener, and are still unbeaten in the early stages of the season, but last Saturday’s home game in particular left the coach feeling unsatisfied. “There were enough spaces but we didn’t find them. We’ve spoken about that this week.” As a result, the focus on the training pitch was placed on three attack-related topics: positioning in the middle, positioning on the flanks and using the available space to create more goalscoring chances.

Question marks over Julian Ryerson

Julian Ryerson has been able to train without any complaints in the last few days, having been substituted on account of injury in the Köln game. He is the only doubt on the personnel front. Otherwise, all the players from the Köln match are available again. Gio Reyna will complete parts of team training again for the first time on Thursday.  

There are three former Borussia players in the VfL Bochum squad: Patrick Osterhage, Moritz Broschinski and Felix Passlack, who only made the switch this summer. Edin Terzic has known Passlack since the U16s: “He will do everything in his power to beat us. I’m looking forward to seeing him on Saturday. But we will find the right answers to ensure we return to Dortmund as winners.”
Christina Reinke

BVB TV by 1&1: The press conference prior to the game against Bochum