Bundesliga: Dortmund Plan to Plunder Points in Wolfsburg

VfL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund continue their assault on the top of the Bundesliga with a trip to Wolfsburg on Saturday, where they need a win to keep pace with leaders FC Bayern.

Their hosts have suffered an inconsistent start to the campaign and are under new management, but die Wolfe have been a force to be reckoned with in recent seasons and are showing signs of improvement again. Both teams had midweek European dates, BVB were away to Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday night, while Wolfsburg lost away to Sevilla on Tuesday night.

A victory in Wolfsburg would lift Dortmund to the top, for at least a few hours before Bayern play in the tea-time kick-off; while a win for the hosts could get them back in the top four places.

Talking Points

Kohdfelt has a point to prove at Wolves

After four straight defeats Wolfsburg fired head coach Mark van Bommel at the end of October, immediately before they faced Bayer Leverkusen; and the decision had the desired effect on the players as Die Wolfe stunned Leverkusen, winning 2-0. There’s no question that Die Wolfe’s stars put 100 per cent effort in for the former Netherlands playing legend but it’s a results in business and, though Van Bommel was surprised to be sacked, the players were immediately vying for places under a new boss.

Florian Kohdfelt took over and in the last three matches the die Wolfe are unbeaten, in all competitions, with victories over Salzburg and Augsburg followed by a draw away to Arminia Bielefeld. The 39-year-old coach was potted by Werder Bremen in the summer after they suffered relegation to the Bundesliga 2 and this is his chance for redemption.

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At Wolfsburg, Kohdfelt has better players than he had at Bremen. He has a star striker in Dutch forward Wout Weghorst though, with four goals, the giant hitman is being outscored by Lucas Nmecha who is on five. And in midfield, all energy Maximilian Philipp forms a useful partnership with the skilful Swedish midfielder Renato Steffen.

BVB keeping pace with Bayern

Their Bundesliga 2021 results have been strong so far this season, though BVB’s clash with Red Bull Leipzig immediately before the international break, put an end to a winning run of four matches in the league. Die Schwarzgelben bounced back with a 2-1 win over Stuttgart as skipper Marco Reus scored his fourth goal of the season.

Head coach Marco Rose wants to improve on Dortmund’s third-placed finish of last season and the latest Bundesliga 2021 betting odds place Dortmund as red hot favourites to finish as Runners up; but with only a point to make up on the Bavarians Rose and his team are dreaming of better. The colossus Erling Braut Haaland has made four assists to add to his nine goals in just six appearances this season. He’s currently sidelined by a hip injury and if BVB can keep pace with Bayern without him in the side… then who knows?

Young England star Jude Bellingham continues to impress and he has just finished runner up in the voting for the 2021 European Golden Boy, pipped to the post by Barcelona’s 18-year-old star Pedri; while wing-back Thomas Meunier remains one of BVB’s most influential players, excellent in defence and dangerous in attack.

Bayern has a home game against Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday evening, so BVB must win this match to keep up the pressure.

COVID hits stars in both teams

Bundesliga: Koen Casteels has been tested positive in COVID-19 — Koen Casteels during VfL Wolfsburg’s match against Lille

Wolfsburg will be without their captain and goal-keeper Koen Casteels, who didn’t travel to Sevilla having tested positive for COVID, and he’s likely to be replaced by Pavao Pervan. Meanwhile, Casteel’s Belgian colleague and BVB player Thorgan Hazard has tested positive too. The 28-year-old striker was in the Red Devils squad last week, along with Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne who also tested positive.

History

Eight times winners of the Bundesliga and runners up in 2019 and 2020, BVB are aristocracy in German football, though recently in the shadow of FC Bayern.

Wolfsburg too have tasted success, winning the Bundesliga in 2009 and finishing runners up in 2015, the same season in which they won the DFB Pokal Cup.

Dortmund have won 30 of the last 50 encounters with Wolfsburg while drawing and losing ten each, and they have won the last six meetings without conceding a goal. BVB’s double last season was won by a 2-0 margin home and away. The meeting in Wolfsburg, last April saw a brace from Haaland and a red card for Bellingham.

Betting Tip

	VfL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund	First Half 1X2 Borussia Dortmund @ 2.97
	November 27, 22:30 (GMT+8)

This is a tough game to call with BVB favourites at SBOTOP odds of 2.32, Wolfsburg at 2.91 and the draw at 3.11. Die Wolfe have shown signs of improvement under the new regime but BVB have won nine of their 12 opening matches and, with Casteels sidelined, they will try to give Wolfsburg’s defence an early shock.