For VfL Wolfsburg, there's ben a world of difference between expectations and reality this season. A team who were looking to finish in the top half of the table before the season began are now battling to avoid the drop with just two matchdays remaining – and, of all teams, they're set to face FC Bayern at home. Saturday’s game against the record champions (18.30 CEST) will be a pivotal match for the Lower Saxony side in their battle against relegation.
Following the 1-1 draw at SC Freiburg, striker Dženan Pejčinović summed up the mood in the VfL camp. The forward explained that they were approaching the clash with the Munich side with an ‘all or nothing’ attitude: “We’ve got nothing left to lose. Every game is like the last one. We’ll try to get under Bayern’s skin. We’re going to give it our all.”
The reality at the bottom of the table is sobering: with two matchdays left, VfL are six points adrift of Werder Bremen, who sit fifteenth, and have a goal difference that is five goals worse. Their chances of directly avoiding relegation are therefore now purely theoretical.
There are many signs that the path to avoiding the drop will involve finishing 16th and going into the relegation play-offs. Wolfsburg currently occupy that position, level on points with FC St. Pauli (both on 26 points) and just ahead of 1. FC Heidenheim (23 points). The final matchday will see a direct clash with the Hamburg side – a potential decider for the relegation play-off spot. This makes points from the home game against FC Bayern all the more valuable.
Despite the tense situation, recent developments seem to point in Wolfsburg’s favour rather than against them. Since early March, when Dieter Hecking began his second spell in charge at VfL, the team have looked much more settled. “The team have been more stable for a few weeks now,” said the 61-year-old, who is tasked with saving the Lower Saxony side from relegation. “We haven’t just fought hard, we’ve also tried to play football. These were the next steps we had to take to hopefully bring our approach to winning the relegation battle to a successful conclusion.”
The results back up this impression: the Wolves are unbeaten in three games and have picked up five points. In particular, the 2–1 win away at 1. FC Union Berlin felt like a breakthrough, followed by a 0–0 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach and a 1–1 draw in Freiburg.
Even though they let a lead slip at Freiburg, VfL are approaching the final paert of the run-in with optimism. “We came away from the match feeling positive,” stressed Pejčinović. “Now it's all about giving it our all in the next two games. We’ll do everything we can to stay in the league. We’re on the right track.”
The 19-year-old striker epitomises Wolfsburg’s hopes in the run-in – and also has a history with Bayern: Pejčinović played for the record champions at youth level, and is now the Wolves’ second-best scorer with seven goals, behind Mohamed Amoura on eight. The German-Montenegrin striker has started each of the last three matches and is likely to start against his former club as well.
Potential VfL line-up
Behind the strike partnership of Pejčinović and Amoura, Hecking could once again opt for Patrick Wimmer and provider Christian Eriksen, who has already racked up eight assists. Joakim Maehle on the right and Aaron Zehnter on the left are expected to provide attacking drive on the wings, whilst Sael Kumbedi offers a more defensive option for the right side. The central figure in midfield is the combative Vinicius Souza in the holding midfield role. Behind him, the back three is likely to feature Jeanuel Belocian, Denis Vavro and Konstantinos Koulierakis, whilst Kamil Grabara remains a reliable first-choice goalkeeper.
Playing in front of their home crowd, Wolfsburg will be looking to take a combination of fighting spirit and newfound stability into the game against FC Bayern. “We’ll do everything we can to pick up some points at home,” announced Pejčinović. VfL can't afford to give anything away at the bottom of the table – and, by their own reckoning, have nothing left to lose. FC Bayern face opponents under immense pressure, but that is precisely why they can be very dangerous.
Check out the facts on the clash with the Wolves:
The unusual circumstances ahead of Wolfsburg clash
