Heidenheim vs Bochum Prediction: Survival in sight for hosts at expense of relegated visitors

There's a relegation six-pointer in the Bundesliga on Friday night (19:30, Sky Sports Football) as bottom club VFL Bochum head to Voith-Arena to take on 1. FC Heidenheim, who are two places and four points above them in the table. A victory for the hosts, who occupy the Bundesliga relegation play-off position, would move them to within two points of Hoffenheim and, in the process, relegate their visitors to the second tier.

Below are my Heidenheim vs Bochum predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this crunch Friday night fixture.

Team News

Heidenheim appear to be all good on the injury front, with no new problems reported since last Friday's 1-0 win at Stuttgart and Budu Zivzivadze potentially returning after a four-game absence with an ankle issue.

However, Niklas Dorsch picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign at MHPArena and is suspended for the visit of Bochum.

Luca Kerber, who replaced the 27-year-old in the 70th minute against Stuttgart, could come in for him on Friday.

Football Odds

Heidenheim's match-winner in Stuttgart, Mathias Honsak, is also pushing for a start, although last week was his first appearance since March 9 following an injury, so he may have to settle for a place on the bench again.

Koji Miyoshi (thigh), formerly of Birmingham City, hasn't featured in the Bundesliga for Bochum since March 1, and the Japanese attacking midfielder will miss out again on Friday.

Bochum are boosted, though, by the return of Ibrahima Sissoko, who served a suspension in last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Union Berlin for a red card received eight days prior at Werder Bremen (1-0).

Heidenheim vs Bochum Odds

Heidenheim put a stop to their three-game losing streak last week, beating last season's runners-up 1-0, and they are 13/10 favourites for the three points this Friday, implying a 43.5% probability. Bochum, meanwhile, are 2/1, or a 33.3% chance, to triumph for the first time since March 8, when they stunned Bayern Munich 3-2 at the Allianz Arena.

The draw is priced at 5/2, both teams to score at 8/13, and over 2.5 total goals at 4/5.

Heidenheim's Marvin Pieringer, who has struck seven times in 28 league appearances this season, heads the anytime goalscorer market at 9/5, followed by Bochum's three-goal forward Philipp Hofmann.

Match Result - Heidenheim @ 13/10

My profound apologies to any Bochum fans that might come across this, but I think Friday is when your fate is sealed, and a return to the second tier, after a two-season stay in the Bundesliga, is confirmed.

Die Unabsteigbaren have enjoyed famous victories over Bayern and Borussia Dortmund this calendar year, but those are just two of three wins in 2025, and since beating Die Roten in March, they've picked up just a solitary point from 18 available. They battled to a 1-1 draw against Union Berlin last week, but have lost their last two games on the road, and only Holstein Kiel have claimed as few away points as Bochum (both eight).

A positive for the visitors is that Heidenheim possess the worst home record in the division, picking up just 10 points at Voith-Arena and losing nine of their last 11 there.

However, they beat fellow strugglers Kiel 3-1 at home on March 16, and they'll be confident of dispatching Bochum in a similar manner, particularly after overcoming Stuttgart last week.

Booking Points - 80+ @ 6/1

Nine yellow cards, totalling 90 booking points (10 per caution with Betfred), were shown in December's reverse fixture - two to Bochum and seven to Heidenheim - and I think we could see another ill-tempered clash on Friday, with the stakes so high.

Heidenheim have been shown 63 yellows in this season's Bundesliga, averaging two per game, but were given four last week at Stuttgart, and three in their last home match against Bayern.

Bochum, meanwhile, were cautioned three times against Union Berlin last time out, and in their last away contest against Werder Bremen, Sissoko was dismissed for two bookable offences, bringing up 35 booking points on his own, and that total was pushed to 45 moments later when Erhan Masovic was flashed a yellow.

Friday's visitors have received 65 Bundesliga bookings this season, averaging 2.1 per game, and only four clubs have been shown more yellows.

Offers

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.