Position
Last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach was the first reverse for VfL Wolfsburg after five games without defeat. The Wolves could have got a result at Gladbach. The visitors were on top in the first half. "We dominated Gladbach and then we made some daft mistakes that cost us the first goal," said coach Niko Kovac annoyed at the first goal conceded that came from a misplaced pass by goalkeeper Koen Casteels. After the final whistle, Kovac criticised his team's lack of clinical finishing and also took issue with wrong decisions and careless final passes made by his players. The 51-year-old coach appeared somewhat baffled: "That means we didn't get a result again today and, to be honest, I don't know exactly why not. That's Bundesliga football for you."
VfL Wolfsburg have enjoyed mixed fortunes this season. After a poor start, the Wolves went on an impressive run from the start of October to the end of the year. They were unbeaten in eleven games with eight wins and the last six of those on the bounce with a goal difference of 22 to 1. From seventeenth place on matchday seven to seventh on matchday 17 – the gap to a Champions League spot was only two points. But then followed defeats in the league at Werder Bremen (1-2) plus at home against Bayern Munich (2-4) and RB Leipzig (0-3) and, on top of that, they were knocked out of the DFB Cup in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 defeat at Union Berlin.
VfL were able to hold on to seventh place despite the bad run but the gap to the Champions League positions is now ten points and they are even eight points adrift from the Europa League slots. And teams like Borussia Mönchengladbach, Mainz 05 and Bayer 04 have moved up the table. Wolfsburg have now dropped down to ninth with just ten points from the first ten games in the Rückrunde. Despite the defeat at Gladbach, the performances of the Wolves are on the up. They are now only four points behind the Werkself. A win against Bayer 04 would put the Kovac team in a better position for the battle for the European spots.
PersonNEl
Ridle Baku and Patrick Wimmer return to the squad after being suspended for the game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. It is possible that both will be in the starting line-up on Sunday. The Austria international Patrick Wimmer is the best provider for the Lower Saxony team with six assists (three goals) and, together with Yannick Gerhardt (six goals, three assists) the best scorer and provider for VfL. Baku, one of the top scorers for the Wolves with five goals, was replaced on the right side of defence by Kilian Fischer at Gladbach.
In the back four, the Dutch central defender Micky van de Ven, like goalkeeper Koen Casteels, has started in all the previous 27 league games and the Frenchman Maxence Lacroix and the Brazilian Paulo Otavio (left) are also regular first choices. Captain and the club's record performance maker Maximilian Arnold is the maestro in midfield. The 28-year-old is set to play his 312th Bundesliga match in the game against Bayer 04. He made his debut in November 2011 under championship winning coach Felix Magath. The tireless enforcer and driving force scored an own goal in the second minute in the 2-2 draw against FC Augsburg and he also missed a penalty in the first half. Although the unfortunate soul did set up Luca Waldschmidt the goal to make it 2-1 – it was Arnold's 38th assist for the Wolves. Only Marcel Schäfer, now sporting director at VfL, has made one more assist for the club. Arnold, who missed training on Friday to a stomach problem, could equal the record or set a new one in the game against the Werkself.
The attacking players in midfield for VfL are Yannick Gerhardt, the Swede Mattias Svanberg and the Germany international Felix Nmecha, who scored the last-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw against Augsburg. Joshua Guilavogui, the second longest-serving player in the squad, has recently come on as a substitute. The 32-year-old Frenchman will hang up his boots for Wolfsburg in the summer but he is set to be kept on in another role at VfL.
On Tuesday this week, the club also announced that the contract with Omar Mahmoud will not be extended in June. The Egyptian has played up front for the Wolves in recent weeks and has made 26 league appearances this season scoring five goals and providing one assist. In a three-man attack, he has recently been accompanied by the Pole Jakub Kaminski and Patrick Wimmer or Mattias Svanberg. Luca Waldschmidt (two goals), Kevin Paredes (one goal, three assists) and Jonas Wind (four goals) have mainly come off the bench.. Definitely ruled out for the game against the Werkself are Lukas Nmecha (knee) and Bartle Franjic (muscle injury).
Performers
VfL Wolfsburg have only conceded 36 goals so far this term and they have the fourth best defence in the league. With not conceding in ten games, the Green and Whites have the most clean sheets along with SC Freiburg and Union Berlin. The solid and well-organised defensive work the team is also evident from the few goals conceded from counter-attacks (one) and set pieces (ten).
Talking of set plays: Watch out the Werkself as only SC Freiburg (19) have scored more goals from set pieces this season than the Wolves. 17 of the 46 VfL goals have come from dead balls. The goals for the Kovac team have been scored by 15 different players. That is almost as many as with the Werkself who have the most along with RB Leipzig with 17 names on the score sheets. The Lower Saxony team also have top numbers in terms of running. Evidence that the Wolves don't quickly run out of breath and they have conceded just 13 goals in the second half – only Union Berlin (11) have conceded less in the second 45.
Wolfsburg have been particularly strong on the road this season. They are third in the away form table with 21 points. VfL are the only team in the league have collected more points away from home than at their own ground (18).
Problems
Talking about the Green and Whites' poor form at home: Wolfsburg have only won four games at the Volkswagen Arena this term (six draws, three defeats). The last home win, the 6-0 victory against SC Freiburg, was three months ago. "We concede considerably more goals at home," said Nico Kovac. That is true: While VfL have only conceded 14 goals away – the fewest of all Bundesliga teams – they have already left in 22 goals in front of their home crowds. They also have problems at the other end. VfL recently wasted chances in the 1-1 draw against Union Berlin and the 2-2 draw against FC Augsburg. FCA had 23 shots on goal, which is the most in a Bundesliga game in three years. The Wolves did manage to rescue a point late on after being 2-0 down. "We had the chances," said a disappointed Wimmer and in terms of the lack of calm in front of goal. "We could have got more out of the game," said Nico Kovac. Moreover: The last home win against Bayer 04 for VfL was under Dieter Hecking in a 2-1 win in October 2015.
Prediction
The return to European competitions was the target for Wolfsburg ahead of the season. VfL want to at least finish in seventh place. Given the DFB Cup semi-final pairings, it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to qualify for Europe. "We have to finish seventh at least and, at the moment, we are in ninth place and we have to make up at least two positions," said Nico Kovac. What is required in the closing stages the season is clear to the former Leverkusen player, who wore the Bayer shirt from 1996 to 1999: "The last two months are always the most decisive. Teams who fall away physically will not achieve their targets. Those able to step up a gear will achieve what they set out to achieve." And, as his team is one of the strongest physically in the league, VfL should be in the running for a European finish right up to the end – sixth place is within reach. Albeit only if they secure a home win against the Werkself. "It's a six-point game for us," said forward Mattias Svanberg.
