Bochum’s chances of staying in the Bundesliga were not helped by the presence of Leon Goretzka. In the first leg of their relegation/promotion playoff against Fortuna Düsseldorf, Bochum suffered a 3-0 loss. Bochum defender Philipp Hofmann scored an own goal early in the match, followed by goals from Felix Klaus and Yannik Engelhardt. Despite Goretzka’s support from the stands, Bochum’s losing streak extended to three games.
Bochum finished third from bottom in the Bundesliga and is fighting to remain in the division. Düsseldorf, who finished third in the second division, is aiming to make a comeback to the Bundesliga after being relegated in 2000. The two teams will face each other again in Düsseldorf for the second leg of the playoff on Monday. Union Berlin secured survival in the Bundesliga on the final day of the season, while Bochum suffered a 4-1 loss to Werder Bremen.
Bayern Munich midfielder Goretzka, a supporter of Bochum, witnessed his hometown club struggle on the field. Despite his presence, Bochum’s chances of survival in the Bundesliga were slim. The playoff match against Düsseldorf proved to be a challenging task for Bochum, as they look to overturn the deficit in the upcoming second leg. Other teams like St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel have already been promoted to the Bundesliga after finishing in the top two positions in the second division.