VfL Bochum – SpVgg Greuther Fürth (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Duels in the Bundesliga: Quickly told: There was exactly one game, namely the first leg. That went 1-0 to Bochum.
What else you should know: For both of them, this is definitely a trend-setting game. How did Bochum put away the Pokalaus? If VfL can win and stay on track, they would have 32 points and could play up to nine points ahead of 16th place.
Thanks to the significantly more stable second half of the season, staying up in the league is suddenly no longer completely utopian for the guests. A threesome and at least the relegation rank would suddenly be only six points away. That hasn’t happened since matchday eight. In the last eight games, Fürth has only lost twice, no other Bundesliga club has suffered fewer defeats in this period.
VfB Stuttgart – Borussia Mönchengladbach (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.)
Duels in the Bundesliga: It is the 100th Bundesliga duel between the two traditional clubs. VfB is in the lead – 40 wins face 29 defeats. The first leg was a 1-1 – scorers were Jonas Hofmann and Konstantinos Mavropanos. Both are the top scorers on their respective teams. As a midfielder and defender.
What else you should know: It’s a “duel of the disappointed”. Both hover, in the case of Stuttgart even in acute danger of relegation. VfB is 17th, Gladbach is 13th. Both had expected more – and “of all things” in this important game the “colts” have personnel worries. Jordan Beyer and Marvin Friedrich, both actually candidates for the defensive back three, are out.
The Swabians have not been a bed of roses in terms of staff throughout the season either. Orel Mangala recently expanded VfB’s hospital and is likely to fail. Chris Führich and Borna Sosa are much further along in the recovery process.
Also important: