Kiel and Bochum: relegation battle in a direct duel on Saturday!

Kiel and Bochum: relegation battle in a direct duel on Saturday!

On October 25, 2025, the two northern German teams Holstein Kiel and VfL Bochum will meet in the Holstein Stadium. Kick-off is at 1:00 p.m. Holstein Kiel is currently in 9th place in the 2nd Bundesliga with 11 points, while Bochum is languishing in 17th place with just 6 points and is only one point away from last place. Both teams are deep in the relegation battle, which makes the upcoming duel all the more explosive. Picture reports that the commonality of the last five encounters from both fan camps is worrying: in these games there were always at least three goals.

Bochum recently gained some hope by scoring an entertaining 3-2 win against Hertha BSC after four defeats in a row. Despite this turnaround, things aren't getting any easier for Bochum, as they haven't scored a single goal in the last five games. This is also due to some injury-related absences, including Ibrahima Sissoko, Koji Miyoshi and Kevin Vogt, which complicates the “turnaround” mission. Kicker notes that both teams have left far too much on the table so far this season.

Look at the players and lineups

For Kiel, captain Steven Skrzybski is under pressure as he has not scored his own goal in 18 competitive games. Together with his team, he is fighting to achieve a positive result despite the injuries to Andu Kelati, Mladen Cvjetinovic and Patrick Erras. Kiel is expected to play in a 4-2-3-1 system, with Jonas Krumrey in goal. Bochum, on the other hand, will start the game with the same formation, with Horn standing between the posts.

Historically, the meeting between the two teams was exciting: the last two Bundesliga games each ended 2-2, and in the current duel the betting odds for Kiel are also slightly higher at 1.95 compared to Bochum, whose odds are 3.50. A draw is traded at 3.90.

Exciting highlights from the last encounters

The most recent game between Kiel and Bochum ended in a spectacular 2-2 draw, which was peppered with much discussion about controversial penalties and many missed opportunities. Both teams showed offensive commitment, with Kiel pushing particularly in the final minutes, while Bochum performed strongly defensively. Picture stated that in the last five games, Kiel has recorded 2 wins, 2 draws and only 1 defeat, whereas Bochum has a clear downward trend.

There were also several critical moments in the last encounter: Passlack missed Bochum's last big chance in stoppage time, while Holtby had a goal disallowed due to a foul. Such scenes further heat up the rivalry between the two teams and give fans hope for an exciting duel.

With these conditions, Kiel and Bochum face an essential duel, which, given the table position and the legitimate hopes of points, promises a full visit to the stadium. History and statistics are not necessarily the strongest cards for Bochum - but anything is possible in football!