**Cottbus are stuck in the mud, and Bochum want to climb out of chaos** — this is a battle between stagnation and inconsistency, with the hosts' defensive solidity up against Bochum's erratic form. 🔒

Cottbus have drawn four of their last five, looking increasingly like a team that can't break anyone down. Bochum, meanwhile, swung from a 2-0 shutout to getting hammered 0-2, and they're missing a pile of defenders heading into this one.

Key storylines:

- **Cottbus** need to finally convert chances; drawing every other week doesn't cut it in the 2. Bundesliga
- Bochum's backline is **thin at the edges** with four players unavailable, opening the door for **J. Butler** and the home attack
- **P. Hofmann** carries Bochum's offensive load, but he'll face a compact Cottbus midfield led by **T. Ciğerci** and **L. Michelbrink**

Expected lineups:

- **Energie Cottbus**: M. Lotka, K. S. Manu, L. Erlein, L. Bittencourt, H. Rorig, L. Michelbrink, T. Ciğerci, L. Copado, J. Guttau, D. Bogdanov, J. Butler
- **VfL Bochum 1848**: T. Horn, M. Steinwender, K. Mets, M. Wittek, S. Klaiber, M. Pannewig, T. Meyer, A. Crimaldi, K. Miyoshi, P. Hofmann, C. Rasmussen

Prediction:

**1-1** — Cottbus's defensive discipline should hold firm at home, but they'll struggle to break through Bochum's numbers. Draw incoming. 📍