Bayern Munich: Three things to watch for against VfL Bochum

The fifth matchday of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season has arrived and Bayern Munich will be hosting VfL Bochum on Saturday. Die Roten have yet to lose a league match this season and have won their last three fixtures in the German top flight. Their opponents are still adjusting to playing in the Bundesliga after making their return to the top division for the first time since the 2009/10 season. So far they have won just one of their four opening matches. Here are three things to watch for ahead of Saturday’s match.

Bayern’s impressive goal scoring form

It’s been a great start to the campaign for Bayern when it comes to scoring goals. They are averaging more goals per match than they did in the 2020/21 season. Currently, they are averaging 3.25 goals per match in the Bundesliga. Last season, they averaged 2.91 goals per match.

If they score three goals or more on Saturday then it will be the seventh time this season in all competitions they have been able to achieve that goal total. In their last three fixtures, they have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 12-1. It could be a long match for Bochum if Bayern displays the goal-scoring form they’ve been showing in recent weeks. (Stats courtesy: Fbref)

Can Bochum generate enough scoring chances to test Bayern?

After holding Barcelona to no goals and no shots on target on Tuesday, Bayern’s backline will certainly be looking to build off of that performance and register another clean sheet. Bochum will be tasked with having to break down the in-form Bayern defense and try to generate scoring chances.

Entering this match, it’s looking like Bochum could struggle to generate high-quality scoring opportunities as they rank last in the Bundesliga when it comes to the percentage of shots that are on target. Additionally, they rank 17th out of the 18 clubs in total shots on target. If they put up similar numbers to what they are averaging against Bayern, then it’s very difficult to see them being able to take a positive result away from this fixture.

First Bundesliga meeting in over a decade

This will be the first Bundesliga fixture played between these two clubs since May of 2010. Since then, they have met on only two occasions in the DFB-Pokal and Bayern won both of those matches. The last fixture was in 2019 in the second round of the domestic cup competition which was a 2-1 win for Die Roten.

In the 21st century, Bochum have defeated Bayern only once which was in 2004. All the remaining matches between the two clubs have ended in either a draw or a victory for Bayern. In total, Die Roten has won eight of their last ten Bundesliga meetings against Bochum. This has largely been a series that Bayern has dominated and Saturday they are going to be the overwhelming favorites.