Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
One of the matches of the 34th round of the German championship will take place on Saturday at the Millerntor-Stadion, where the local side St. Pauli will host Bochum. Let’s take a closer look at the best bet for the winner in this clash.
St. Pauli
In their first season back in the Bundesliga, St. Pauli have accomplished one of their main objectives – the team has all but secured its place in the top flight. With one round left, the club sits 14th with 32 points. They are three points clear of 16th place, which leads to the relegation playoffs. So, any points in this final round are crucial to guarantee survival without relying on other results.
Their opponent in the season finale is Bochum, a side that has already lost their chance to stay in the Bundesliga and has nothing left to play for in the standings. St. Pauli have looked steady in recent matches: in their last five games, they lost only once – 0-1 to Stuttgart, drew three times, and picked up an important away win over Holstein Kiel, 2-1.
Bochum
Bochum fought desperately for survival all season, but the endgame went poorly for them. In their last seven matches, they failed to win – earning just two draws against fellow strugglers Union and Heidenheim and losing the rest. The lower half of the table was so tight that even a few points could have kept Bochum’s survival hopes alive. However, they have now been relegated and will spend next season in the 2. Bundesliga.
Bochum do have a positive record against St. Pauli: in their last six encounters, they’ve managed three draws and three wins. That could give them extra motivation to finish the campaign with a respectable result and "slam the door" on their way out of the top tier.
Interesting facts and head-to-head
- St. Pauli have failed to win in 7 of their last 8 matches.
- Bochum have failed to win in 8 of their last 9 matches.
- Bochum have won 3 of the last 4 head-to-head meetings.
Probable lineups
- St. Pauli: Vasilj, Nemeth, Wahl, Van der Heyden, Saliakas, Smith, Bouhaddouz, Ritzka, Afolayan, Weishaupt, Eggestein.
- Bochum: Horn, Erhan, Bernardo, Ordets, Krauss, Passlack, Sissoko, Wittek, Losilla, Boadu, Masouras.
Prediction for St. Pauli vs Bochum
St. Pauli are desperate for points to secure their Bundesliga status, and they come into this match in solid form. Despite not having the best record against Bochum, their opponents have already been relegated and may lack motivation. That gives St. Pauli the edge and a great chance to claim victory in this crucial fixture. My bet for this match is a St. Pauli win at odds of 1.68.
