VfL Bochum vs Mainz – News and Probable Lineups

Mainz 05 will be aiming to recover from their recent defeat as they head to Ruhrstadion to take on VfL Bochum in the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday.

The visitors are coming off a 3-2 loss to Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while the hosts are preparing for their next fixture after a 1-1 draw against Wolfsburg in the second tier on October 23.

Match overview

Bochum has had a challenging season in the 2. Bundesliga, currently sitting in 14th place with only eight points after nine matchweeks.

Their draw with Wolfsburg marked the sixth goal they’ve managed in the second tier, and it was also the first time they’ve scored in any of their last three matches.

Manager Uwe Rosler has not been able to secure a win in the last five fixtures, with a defeat on Tuesday likely to result in his team suffering their fourth loss in six matches.

The home side is also on a winless streak of six games against Mainz, having lost their last three encounters, including a 4-1 defeat back in May 2025.

A significant concern for Rosler is that Bochum has not claimed victory in any of their five home outings in the 2026-27 season, with three losses recorded.

Mainz has had a positive campaign, currently positioned in seventh place with 10 points after seven matchweeks, although they recently faced their second defeat in three games against Bremen.

Die Nullfunfer have struggled defensively, conceding 13 goals in the Bundesliga, all of which have come in their past five top-flight matches.

Last season, the visitors only managed to secure nine points from their first 16 league games, making their progress this season significant despite their defensive woes.

Head coach Urs Fischer is experiencing mixed results lately; while his team lost against Bremen, a victory on Tuesday would mark their third win in five outings.

On the road, Mainz has been perfect this season, winning all four away matches and netting 19 goals, with half of those scored during their 9-0 victory over Krieschow in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 23.

Team News

If Bochum continues with their 4-2-3-1 formation from earlier in the DFB-Pokal, fans might expect to see centre-backs Michael Steinwender and Karol Mets partnering behind Mats Pannewig and Tom Meyer.

Stiker Philipp Hofmann could receive support from attacking midfielder Berkan Taz, along with wingers Koji Miyoshi and Christian Rasmussen.

As for Mainz, they may deploy a similar lineup to that which started in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, but with defender Dominik Kohr unavailable until January, Danny da Costa, Stefan Posch, and Kacper Potulski could form a part of the defense.

It would be unexpected to see regulars like Kaishu Sano or Jae-Sung Lee in the midfield, with Eric Martel and Paul Nebel likely to get the nod instead.

In attack, Benedict Hollerbach and Ransford Konigsdorffer may be set to start to give Sheraldo Becker and Phillip Tietz a rest from the rigors of first-team football.

VfL Bochum probable starting XI:

Horn; Klaiber, Steinwender, Mets, Wittek; Meyer, Pannewig; Miyoshi, Taz, Rasmussen; Hofmann

Mainz 05 probable starting XI:

hundredweight; Da Costa, Posch, Potulski; Widmer, Mist, Martel, Amiri, Mwene; Konigsdorffer, Hollerbach

Given Mainz’s inconsistent form in the Bundesliga, it would be surprising if they fail to secure a straightforward away victory.

Bochum has the potential to pose a threat to the visitors’ defense, especially considering Mainz’s vulnerabilities in recent matches, but it is unlikely they will overcome a top-flight side.