Hertha Berlin vs. Bochum: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Having managed 21 second-half minutes in Hertha's 4-1 loss to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, Jovetic should be fit to make his first start of the calendar year. The Montenegrin had scored three times across his last four outings of 2021 before picking up a calf injury, and remains Hertha's five-goal top scorer for the season. In contrast, Boateng has played only a bit-part role since returning to his boyhood club in the summer, and will likely be used from the bench once more. Marc-Oliver Kempf is expected to be involved from the off, though, after making the switch from Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart towards the end of the winter transfer window. Marton Dardai will probably be the man making way at the heart of a defence that has shipped 42 goals after 20 rounds of fixtures. Only rock-bottom Greuther Fürth (52) have conceded more. The game may come too soon for fellow new recruit Lee Dong-jun, meanwhile. The South Korean winger has been away on 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying action, playing as recently as Tuesday against Syria in Dubai.

Eleventh-in-the-table Bochum are two points and as many places better off than Hertha. Thomas Reis' side kicked off 2022 with a 1-0 win over Wolfsburg, but have since lost to Mainz and drawn with Cologne. Winter signing Locadia marked his first start for club with an assist on Matchday 20, and should keep his place in attack, but midfielder Anthony Losilla is unavailable. Robert Tesche could be the man to benefit and make what would be only his fourth start of the Bundesliga season. Much like Hertha's Lee, meanwhile, Takuma Asano is unlikely to be risked after representing Japan on World Cup qualifying duty this past week. Indeed, with the exception of Losilla, Reis is expected to stick with the same starting XI that held Cologne prior to the Bundesliga's mini break, in his bid to avenge the 3-1 loss to Hertha earlier in the campaign. It's one of 10 defeats suffered by the promoted Bundesliga club in 2021/22 - eight of which have fallen away from the comforts of their own back yard.

Match stats

With five goals over 567 minutes of Bundesliga football, Jovetic is scoring every 113 minutes.

Lukas Klünter is set to make his 50th competitive outing for Hertha.

Hertha have won their last five competitive games against Bochum, and lost only one of the last 18.

Sebastian Polter is Bochum's six-goal top scorer so far this season, but is five matches without finding the net.

Losilla has covered more distance (139.5 miles / 224.6 km) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season.

Only Yann Sommer (78) and Lukas Hradecky (87) have made more saves than Bochum goalkeeper Manuel Riemann (75) this term.

Probable line-ups

Hertha: Schwolow - Pekarik, Stark (c), Kempf, Mittelstädt - Richter, Tousart, Ascacibar, Serdar - Belfodil, Jovetic

Out: Boyata (ankle), Jarstein (knee)

Doubtful: Christensen (thigh), Darida (ankle)

Coach: Tayfun Korkut

Bochum: Riemann (c) - Stafylidis, Bella-Kotchap, Leitsch, Soares - Löwen, Tesche, Rexhbecaj - Pantovic, Locadia, Holtmann

Out: Losilla (not included), Masovic (not included), Zoller (knee)

Doubtful: Blum (muscular)

Coach: Thomas Reis