Wolfsburg will look to continue their push towards the European qualification spots on Sunday when they host Nuri Sahin's Borussia Dortmund at Volkswagen Arena in the Bundesliga.
The Wolves are 10th with 21 points after 14 matchweeks though they lost 3-2 against Freiburg on December 13, while Dortmund are in eighth place with one point more, and their 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim on December 15 left them six points from the league's fourth-placed Champions League spot.
Match preview
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Though the scoreline suggested that Wolfsburg were competitive against Freiburg, the result was perhaps flattering considering Freiburg had taken a 3-0 lead by the 61st minute but conceded twice between the 75th and 83rd minutes.
While manager Ralph Hasenhuttl will be disappointed by his players' performances, his side are only two points from sixth-placed Stuttgart and three points from fifth-placed Freiburg, who occupy the Bundesliga's Conference League and Europa League qualification spots respectively.
Hasenhuttl's team have scored 31 goals and conceded 25 times in the top flight, records which make them the division's fourth best attacking and sixth-worst defensive club.
Prior to their defeat against Freiburg, Wolfsburg had won the previous five fixtures, avoiding defeat for eight consecutive matches in all competitions.
The hosts' form at home has also been strong given they have triumphed in their three most recent outings at Volkswagen Arena, remaining unbeaten in their last five games.
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Meanwhile, Sahin will be disappointed that his side were unable to hold out against Hoffenheim, a match in which they took the lead in the 46th minute but conceded a 91st-minute equaliser.
Following the equaliser, the Dortmund boss reportedly asked his players whether they were "winners", and also told reporters: "[It was a] very weak performance, maybe the weakest performance of the season. The goal did us good, but only for a short period."
The Black and Yellows' record of 25 league goals makes them the division's joint sixth-best offensive side, and they are also the 10th-best defensive team having conceded 21 times in the Bundesliga.
BVB are winless in their last four matches – drawing three and losing one – and they have also been held to 1-1 stalemates in each of their past three league games.
The visitors' record on the road has improved somewhat of late, but while they have won one and drawn one of their two most recent fixtures away from home, they did lose the prior six away matches.
Team News
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Wolfsburg still have numerous injury absentees, including goalkeeper Niklas Klinger, as well as defenders Sebastiaan Bornauw and Rogerio.
Hasenhuttl is likely to protect goalkeeper Kamil Grabara with a backline consisting of Kilian Fischer, Denis Vavro, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Joakim Maehle.
Forwards Ridle Baku, Mohamed El Amine Amoura and Tiago Tomas could start in a front three considering Kevin Paredes, Bartosz Bialek and Lovro Majer will miss out.
Elsewhere, the Wolves will also have to cope without midfielder Aster Vranckx, so expect Maximilian Arnold to be partnered by Bence Dardai and Mattias Svanberg.
As for Dortmund, they will not be able to select defenders Niklas Sule and Julian Ryerson, though the latter is likely to return in the coming days.
In defence, centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck may be joined by midfielder Emre Can, and the duo may play alongside full-backs Jan Couto and Ramy Bensebaini.
Sahin could use a double pivot featuring Pascal Gross and Felix Nmecha, with the pair starting behind attackers Maximilian Beier, Giovanni Reyna, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Serhou Guirassy.
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Fischer, Vavro, Koulierakis, Maehle; Dardai, Arnold, Svanberg; Baku, Amoura, Tomas
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Couto, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Gross, Nmecha; Beier, Reyna, Bynoe-Gittens; Guirassy
We say: Wolfsburg 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
Wolfsburg should be confident of troubling Dortmund on Sunday given the visitors' poor record away from home.
Additionally, the hosts' loss last time out does not detract from their strong showings in recent weeks, and they should be considered favourites to take all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
