Relegation
Coach Butscher: Don’t talk about it, do it
Bochum’s head coach Heiko Butscher wants to avoid relegation. Photo
© Tim Rehbein/dpa
The seventh relegation for VfL Bochum seems almost inevitable. After the 0:3 defeat in the first leg against Fortuna Düsseldorf, coach Butscher is demanding character and attitude from the players for the return leg.
Bochum lost the first leg at home 3-0 after a poor performance. The chances of avoiding their seventh relegation from the Bundesliga are therefore vanishingly small.
The coach knows this too, admitting: “After the 0-3 defeat, it took a long time for us to get back on our feet. We tried to rebuild the team. I can’t say whether we succeeded, we’ll see on Monday evening.” But he expects a reaction. The 43-year-old Butscher demanded “aggression, intensity, passion and attitude – until the final whistle” from the players.
Riemann still not there
As announced, the weakest away team in the Bundesliga will continue to do without Manuel Riemann in Düsseldorf. The regular goalkeeper was not considered for disciplinary reasons before the first game. In addition, the defense is missing the strongest player in tackles, with left-back Bernardo suspended for yellow cards.
Otherwise, all players are available to Butscher, apart from the long-term injured. The VfL pros have recently trained with “intensity and passion and have regained some of their faith. And comebacks like this have happened before in sport. But to do that, we have to bring it onto the pitch, not just talk about it,” said Butscher.