VfL Bochum Deprived of Key Players for Ruhr Derby Clash with Borussia Dortmund
Ahead of the highly anticipated Ruhr derby against Borussia Dortmund, VfL Bochum has been dealt a significant blow with the news that their first-choice goalkeeper, Patrick Drewes, will be sidelined due to illness.
"Patrick Drewes is ill, he called in sick today with a fever and will not be able to play. So Timo Horn will be in goal," head coach Dieter Hecking confirmed ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga encounter (3:30 PM CET / Sky).
Horn, a former Köln shot-stopper, will make his Bundesliga debut for Bochum if he starts in goal. Despite joining the club in the summer, the 31-year-old has only featured in pre-season friendlies thus far. After leaving 1. FC Köln in the summer of 2023 and spending six months without a club, Horn briefly joined RB Salzburg before signing for Bochum. The experienced goalkeeper has over 200 Bundesliga appearances under his belt, all for his hometown club Köln.
Adding to Bochum’s woes, Hecking will also be without star striker Myron Boadu, who picked up a thigh injury in the match against Holstein Kiel. Right-back Felix Passlack is unavailable due to an eye surgery he underwent during the week, while Maximilian Wittek will serve a one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation.
Despite these setbacks, Hecking remained confident in his team’s ability to put up a fight against their formidable opponents. "We have a strong squad, and everyone is ready to step up in the absence of our injured and suspended players. We know it will be a tough match against a top team like Dortmund, but we will give everything we have and try to come away with a positive result."
Bochum currently languishes at the foot of the Bundesliga table, having failed to win any of their opening six matches of the campaign. Dortmund, on the other hand, has enjoyed a solid start to the season, sitting third in the standings with four wins, one draw, and one defeat.
The Ruhr derby is always a passionate affair, and the upcoming clash is sure to be no exception. With both teams determined to secure local bragging rights, fans can expect an intense and fiercely contested match at Signal Iduna Park.
Possible Bochum Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Timo Horn
- Defenders: Jordi Osei-Tutu, Erhan Mašović, Ivan Ordets, Danilo Soares
- Midfielders: Anthony Losilla, Jacek Góralski, Kevin Stöger
- Forwards: Simon Zoller, Philipp Hofmann, Gerrit Holtmann
Possible Dortmund Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel
- Defenders: Marius Wolf, Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck, Raphael Guerreiro
- Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Salih Özcan, Marco Reus
- Forwards: Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Modeste, Gio Reyna
