Champions League regulars RB Leipzig's 2024-25 Bundesliga season will begin on Saturday when they face VfL Bochum at Red Bull Arena.
The hosts finished fourth last season with 65 points from 34 games and qualified for the revamped Champions League, while the visitors finished 16th with 33 points and only stayed in the division due to their relegation playoff victory against Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Match preview
Although the hosts have been unable to close the gap to usual champions Bayern Munich like Bayer Leverkusen did last term, they have at least been one of the division's most consistent sides.
In fact, their points tally of 65 in 2023-24 was the sixth time in the last eight campaigns they have achieved between 65 and 67 points, and their fourth-placed finish was the seventh time they have qualified for the Champions League since their first top-flight season in 2016-17.
Interestingly, though RB Leipzig ended 2023-24 in fourth place, they had the joint second-best defensive record having conceded 39 goals, the third most touches in the opposition box and the third most shots on target per match.
Last time out, Die Roten Bullen beat Rot-Weiss Essen 4-1 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 17.
Marco Rose's side conceded first after just two minutes, though a 12th-minute goal from Benjamin Sesko and a 40th-minute strike from Lois Openda ensured they were leading at the half-time interval.
RB Leipzig have won 15 of their last 21 Bundesliga games at home and have only lost twice in this period.
Opponents Bochum were promoted to the top flight in 2020-21 after winning Germany's second division, and in their first Bundesliga season since 2009-10, they finished nine points clear of the league's 16th-placed relegation playoff spot.
However, their points haul of 42 in 2021-22 declined to just 35 in 2022-23 before last term's total of 33.
The visitors are fortunate to still be in the top flight considering they only managed to stay in the division because of their penalty shootout win against Fortuna Dusseldorf on May 27.
Fortuna Dusseldorf had won the first leg 3-0 on May 23, but surrendered their advantage after losing 3-0 in the second, with Kevin Stoger of Bochum scoring a 70th-minute leveller.
Boss Peter Zeidler has only been in charge since June, and in his first competitive match as manager lost 1-0 on August 18 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal against second-division team Jahn Regensburg.
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Team News
The hosts will be unable to call upon midfielder Assan Ouedraogo due to a knee injury, while Christoph Baumgartner, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Eljif Elmas and Xaver Schlager are all doubts.
Xavi Simons scored last time out, and could be joined in midfield by Kevin Kampl, Nicolas Seiwald and Amadou Haidara.
As for the visitors, Bernardo and Moritz-Broni Kwarteng will be absent due to knee issues, while Ivan Ordets is nursing a shoulder injury.
Elsewhere, goalkeeper Manuel Riemann has not been included in the squad, though Mohammed Tolba is nearing a return.
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Klostermann, Simakan, Orban, Raum; Kampl, Haidara, Seiwald, Simons; Openda, Sesko
VfL Bochum possible starting lineup:
Drewes; Passlack, Oermann, Masovic, Wittek; Losilla, Sissoko, Bero; Daschner; Broschinski, Hofmann
We say: RB Leipzig 3-1 VfL Bochum
Given the hosts' consistency in the league over recent years, as well as their excellent record at home, they come into Saturday's game as strong favourites.
Additionally, Bochum's loss in the DFB-Pokal against a 2. Bundesliga side was concerning, and if they perform similarly this weekend then it is difficult to see how they can avoid defeat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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