Bochum on the brink: Fighting to stay in the league after a bitter defeat!

Bochum on the brink: Fighting to stay in the league after a bitter defeat!

VfL Bochum is deep in the relegation battle of the 2nd Bundesliga. After the 0-1 defeat against Fortuna Düsseldorf on September 28th, 2025, the mood in the club is tense. Gerrit Holtmann, the Bochum winger, made the situation clear after the game: “The goal is to stay in the league and nothing else.” Seven games, six defeats – these are the sobering facts of this season. A return to the Bundesliga seems to be a long way off and the team is now fighting for survival in the league. As Liga2-Online reports, Bochum has gained valuable experience in the relegation battle over the last four years. Holtmann emphatically emphasizes that the team has “much, much more” to lose.

In the match against Düsseldorf everything initially looked promising. Bochum had controlled phases, but were unable to take advantage of the necessary opportunities. In the fourth minute, Tim Oberdorf scored the first goal for Düsseldorf with a free kick - an early goal that further frustrated the Bochum team. Interim coach David Siebers, who replaced the dismissed Dieter Hecking two weeks ago, is also in a quandary after his second defeat. The exploitation of opportunities remains the big drawback: out of 20 shots, only five or six were on target. Nevertheless, Holtmann praised Siebers' work, but did not comment on his future in the coaching chair.

The challenges for VfL Bochum

The situation couldn't be more difficult. VfL Bochum is currently in second-to-last place in the table and faces enormous challenges in the relegation battle. Players like striker Philipp Hofmann expressed their frustration with the continued defeats and the noticeable lack of courage and creative ideas in the game. “We have to pick ourselves up again and build on the successes of the last few years,” said Hofmann, a strong advocate of team cohesion. But reality speaks for itself.

The search for a new coach is already in full swing. Those responsible at Bochum are called upon to find a solution that can bring about a turnaround. Siebers is currently still on the bench next Saturday against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, but the temperatures are rising and the pressure is growing. Change is also required at the sporting management level, because Dirk Dufner, who was only brought on board in April, had to give up along with Hecking. The squad is currently classified as not suitable for the second division, which makes the reinforcements during the winter break particularly important in order to achieve the desired turnaround, as n-tv reports.

Future outlook

The next game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern could be decisive. A win is mandatory in order to stay in touch with the remaining places. Passion, courage and the ability to take advantage of opportunities are essential. The people of Bochum must show that they are ready to fight their way out of this crisis. There will be no room for compromises in the relegation battle. The Bochum fans hope that their team will quickly get back to winning ways so that they don't have to give up their dream of the Bundesliga for good.

Current information on coaching changes in the 2nd Bundesliga can also be found on Transfermarkt.