Never ending suspension and excitement that follows German Bundesliga match-ups will be present at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg on Saturday where the guests from Moenchengladbach will get the chance to square off with the Wolves. These teams are in the midst of the fight of two different battles, one for the Europa League spot and one for the survival in top German soccer competition. Draw would just prolong the agony and severely impact the fans patience, so I’m sure that both teams will go full throttle. As always, in order to gain some money out of it, we have prepared for you the thorough analysis of this match so let’s take a closer look.
VfL WOLFSBURG vs. BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
3-Way: 1: VfL Wolfsburg -109; X: +309 Draw; Borussia Monchengladbach +325
Spread -0.5: VfL Wolfsburg -111; Borussia Monchengladbach +106
Total +2.5: Over -143; Under +136
VfL WOLFSBURG
Shockingly underperforming is the exact description of the season for the Wolves from Wolfsburg. Team has been in a consistent downfall in last two years and they have finally managed to get themselves in to the battle for survival in the top German Bundesliga. This is a pretty low place for the team was the runner-up in the league just two seasons ago. Currently, they rank 14th with 36 points in 32 games, only two more than Hamburger SV that ranks 16th and is below the relegation line. Chances for survival look good at the moment but if they don’t get a positive result on Saturday, the thing might become a whole lot uglier than they are and the survival could be in jeopardy.
The team is coming off from a road win at Frankfurt last weekend and the confidence level might be on the rise but having in mind team’s inconsistency this year, it could mean nothing. Wolfsburg managed to string together at least two victories in only two occasions this season and they are 3-1-4 in last eight match-ups. They are 2-0-2 in last four games in front of their own crowd and latest matchup at the Volkswagen Arena went horribly wrong as the team got humiliated by the champions Bayern Munich, 6:0.
The Wolves are also one of two worst teams at home this season as they’ve suffered defeats in 56% of their home matches (5-3-9 overall record). Home goal difference is also devastating (14-24) and they rank 17th in the home league table with only 17 of 48 possible points earned. Wolfsburg is the only team in the league that earned more points on the road than at home (19). They score 0.88 goals and concede 1.50 goals per game in Wolfsburg and 50% of their overall matches had over 2.5 goals in total. 19% of their home matches had over 3.5 goals and only 9% of their overall games had over 2.5 goals at the halftime.
They scored in both halves in only two home matchups and they conceded in both halves in every fourth matchup at Volkswagen Arena. Both teams scored in 41% of their matches this season and most common results at home are 2:1 and 1:0 losses and 1:0 win (all occurred three times) while most common result at the halftime was 0:0 (occurred six times).
Mario Gomez is the team’s top striker this season with 15 goals while the newcomer Yunus Malli has seven in his account. Malli is also team’s leading assister with eight assists while Daniel Caliguri has four. Passing segment belongs to defender Ricardo Rodriguez with 1029 total passes and midfielder Luiz Gustavo with 978 total passes. Goalkeepers Diego Benagglio (14 appearances) and Koen Casteels (18 appearances) have split the minutes in front of the goal and they have collected 102 saves along with 11 games with clean sheets combined.
It’s unclear if Jeffrey Bruma (Knee injury) will be available coach Andries Jonker before the end of the season while Riechedly Bazoer (Calf injury), Koen Casteels (Hip injury) and Ricardo Rodriguez (Ankle injury) are all listed as doubtful for Saturday. Ismail Azzaoui (Cruciate ligament injury) is back in training after nine months of absence.
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
The Borussia Monchengladbach team still has the chance to secure one of the spots that lead to the Europa League next season but they will need the victory on Saturday if they want to make the decisive leapfrog in the league table that will make that happen. Currently, they rank 10th in the German Bundesliga with 43 points in 32 games but with the full pray from Wolfsburg, they could potentially end up at the No. 6 spot before the final round and then secure the European berth in front of their own crowd against the relegated Darmstadt team.
When it comes to the recent form, the team is not brimming with confidence but they are undefeated in last two games. They are 3-2-3 in last eight match-ups and 2-1-1 in last four road games in the German Bundesliga. Overall record on the road is 5-3-8 with 18-30 goal difference (42-46 overall) and they rank seventh in the road league table with 18 of 48 possible points earned.
Bunch of goals is the attribute that can be labeled to the Monchengladbach’s matchups lately but that wasn’t the case during the entire season. Only 56% of team’s away matches had over 2.5 goals in total but those that did went even further as 38% of their road games had over 3.5 goals and every fourth matchup on the road had over 4.5 goals on the scoreboard after the final whistle.
Team failed to score in 38% of their visits but both teams scored in every second game including each of their last five matches. Most common results on the road are 3:2 win and 0:0 draw (both occurred twice) while most common score at the halftime was 0:0 (occurred five times).
Forward Lars Stindl is the team’s leading scorer with 11 goals in the German Bundesliga this season while Raffael has six in his account. Leading assister is midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud with six assists while Thorgan Hazard and Christoph Kramer recorded four each. Defenders Andreas Christensen and Jannik Vestergaard recorded remarkable 1518 and 1472 total passes so far and that makes them the passing gurus for the team. Yann Sommer is the only goalkeeper who has seen the action for the Foals this season and he collected 90 saves along with 10 games with the clean sheets.
Oscar Wendt (Elbow injury) and Josip Drmic (Knee injury) are out for the season. Top scorer Lars Stindl (Illness), pillar of the defense Andreas Christensen (Hip injury), and the attackers Thorgan Hazard and Raffael who both have knee afflictions are listed as doubtful while Troy Jantschke (Wrist, Thigh injury) and Mamadou Doucoure (Thigh injury) are day to day.
VfL Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Monchengladbach – Match Prediction
VfL Wolfsburg has two points advantage over the teams that are below them in the German Bundesliga table (FSV Mainz 05 and Hamburger SC) but having in mind the absence of the majority of main Borussia’s players and the fact that in the final round the Wolves are going in Hamburg to square off with one of those drowning teams makes this Saturday game crucial.
If they can get at least one point it would raise their survival chances but on the other side, one point doesn’t help the Borussia’s Europa League case. Having everything said, I don’t think the hosts will lose this game because if they do, they might be one step in the gutter.
My pick: draw X (+309)
Additional Pick: Over 2.5 goals (-143)
