Heidenheim vs Bochum

Voith-Arena forms the backdrop for a high-stakes Bundesliga relegation six-pointer between Heideinheim and Bochum. 

Despite halting a three-game losing streak in the Bundesliga with a narrow 1-0 win at Stuttgart last time out, Heidenheim’s hopes of securing safety and avoiding relegation playoffs look slim. Indeed, the hosts sit five points adrift of 15th-placed TSG Hoffenheim, and with only three games to go, they need a miracle to bridge the gap and secure automatic survival. Anything other than a win against Bochum, combined with unfavorable results elsewhere, would confirm Heidenheim’s bottom-three finish this weekend. Therefore, the division’s worst home side this season (W3, D1, L11) must defy history to maintain their quest to leapfrog Hoffenheim and snap a dismal eight-game winless H2H run against Bochum (D2, L6).

With five of those six victories coming ‘to nil,’ Bochum can still dream of hauling back a four-point deficit on Heidenheim and somehow avoid the drop despite winning just 16% of their Bundesliga matches this term (W5, D6, L20). However, the visitors’ recent form cannot inspire much confidence, as a 1-1 home draw against Union Berlin only served to end a five-match losing league streak. On top of that, Dieter Hecking’s men lament a torrid traveling record in the Bundesliga this season (W2, D2, L11). But there’s a silver lining. They’ve fared well against fellow bottom-three rivals, going unbeaten in all three such encounters this season (W1, D2).