All season long premium subscribers will receive exclusive previews for the upcoming round of Bundesliga fixtures. Today, game week 9 kicks off! There is a huge matchup on Friday between two relegation candidates, the next stern test for Borussia Dortmund and countless other exciting encounters to keep you entertained.

VfL Bochum v Mainz 05

On Friday evening, the Bundesliga gameweek kicks off with what is undoubtedly the most important relegation matchup on the fixture list. VfL Bochum host Mainz 05. It’s 17th against 18th, and a direct matchup between the only two sides who are yet to register a win this season. 

Bochum are the side that potentially have the most to work on in order to take 3 points. Thomas Letsch’s side have struggled to transition to a back-3 system this season, and the league’s second-worst defense is not being helped by an attack that struggles to capitalize on chances. Only 4 clubs have taken more shots than Bochum this season, but the 19 shots they need per goal is the worst conversion rate of any club in the German topflight. 

Mainz 05, on the other hand, can feel slightly hard done by to still be bottom of the table with 2 points. Only FC Bayern, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen have conceded fewer shots than Mainz 05, but all 3 aforementioned clubs have, combined, conceded as many goals as Bo Svensson’s side this season (21). 

The number, and quality, of attacking opportunity that Mainz are creating can still be improved upon, but there is potentially a flicker of hope in Mainz’s new forward sensation Brajan Gruda. The 19-year-old academy graduate was excellent against Bayern last weekend, constantly providing attacking relief with his penetrative dribbles. Gruda currently represents Germany at the under-21 level, but there are rumors that the Albanian national team are looking to call him up for crucial Euro qualifiers in November. 

Prediction: Mainz 05 Win 

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