Can Bochum escape the bottom three?

They managed to salvage a point in their away meeting with Hertha thanks to Keven Schlotterbeck’s 94th-minute equaliser, but a win for Stuttgart ensured Bochum finished Matchday 33 in the relegation playoff spot on goal difference.

While Bochum will be targeting safety, they are also at risk of being automatically relegated with 17th-placed Schalke just one point behind Thomas Reis’s side. Bochum will avoid automatic relegation as long as they match Schalke’s result. Meanwhile, Bochum will move out of the bottom three if they better Stuttgart’s result against Hoffenheim.

Having picked up 23 of their 32 points on home turf this season, Bochum will be hoping to make full use of home advantage on Saturday.

Despite dropping two points, Leverkusen remained in sixth position with a one-point gap to Wolfsburg, while they are three points clear of eighth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt. Leverkusen know that a victory will secure European qualification, but a failure to claim all three points will leave them relying on results elsewhere.

Leverkusen are unbeaten in their last seven Bundesliga meetings with Bochum, and they have the chance to complete a league double over Saturday’s opponents after winning 2-0 in January’s reverse fixture.

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