Second against first - the big game at the FC Bayern Campus! When FC Bayern Women host VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, the eyes of the league will be watching at 17:55 CET (LIVE on ARD, Magenta Sport and FC Bayern TV LIVE). Only two points separate leaders Wolfsburg from second-placed Munich. The winner of the game on Saturday will lead the table with six games to go. Here's everything you need to know in our preview!
The situation
The season is hotting up! On Tuesday, FCB Women got the ball rolling on the big football stage in front of 20,000 spectators at the Allianz Arena. In the first leg of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women's Champions League, Bayern defeated Arsenal WFC 1-0 after a thrilling battle. The victory in the first leg laid the foundation for a possible semi-final for coach Alexander Straus' team. Only four days after the league matchup against VfL Wolfsburg, Bayern want to finally book their ticket for the UWCL semi-finals in the second leg in London.
Ready for Wolfsburg: Just a few days before the Bundesliga game, FCB celebrated a win over Arsenal in the first leg of the UWCL quarter-finals.
With a great Champions League evening in front of a home crowd behind them, Klara Bühl, Lina Magull and Co. should now be looking towards Saturday full of self-confidence. The Munich side could reward themselves for a consistently strong performance in all competitions. FCB have only dropped points twice this Bundesliga season, in a 0-0 draw at the start of the season in Frankfurt and a narrow defeat in the return fixture against the Wolves in October. So the women from Wolfsburg have been at the top of the table in the FLYERALARM women's Bundesliga since Matchday 1. Only TSG Hoffenheim managed to steal points from VfL at the beginning of March tomake the title race exciting again. On Saturday, Bayern Women have a great opportunity to dethrone Wolfsburg for the first time.
The opponents
VfL Wolfsburg are the seven-time and reigning German champions. With another league title this year, the Wolves would become the outright record champions. However, on Matchday 13, VfL blundered for the first time this season against TSG Hoffenheim (2-1). In the meeting of first against second on Saturday, the best attack meets the best defence. Tommy Stroot's team have netted 52 times this Bundesliga season. Hopefully the green and white attackers will struggle to get past the strong Bayern backline.
Statistics
In 53 competitive matches between the two sides, the women from Lower Saxony have won 25 times, Bayern have won 13 and there have been 15 draws. The Munich team achieved their last win in November 2020 with a 4-1 home victory.
Team news
The long-term injured Linda Dallmann (ruptured syndesmosis ligament) and Giulia Gwinn (ruptured cruciate ligament) are still not available. Defenders Tainara (ankle problems) and Carolin Simon (muscular problems) will also have to sit out the game against Wolfsburg.
Full focus on Wolfsburg: Alexander Straus and FCB Women want to conquer the top of the table.
Thoughts ahead of the game
Head coach Alexander Straus: "The game is a very important one for both teams and has a lot of significance. Two of the three possible results tomorrow evening are not enough for us. But if we get the result we set out for, we'll be back in contention for the league title. It's another big game this season against very strong opponents and these games are all extremely important building blocks in our overall development and towards longer-term goals."
Sydney Lohmann: "We can definitely take something away from the game against Arsenal for the Wolfsburg game. In the analysis we already discussed some things that could be improved, especially in the second half. Of course, these are the games where we have to deliver. We've proved we can do this. On Saturday it will primarily depend on who is there in the one-on-ones and who has the nerves under control. We've learned our lessons from the last game against Wolfsburg."
Glódís Viggósdóttir: "We are very motivated for the Wolfsburg game! It's a hugely important game for us and we have to win, we know that. Of course it was very good that we won at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, but we can play better than we did against Arsenal. What we can definitely take away is the defensive performance. That will be very important against Wolfsburg and we definitely want to extend our run without conceding a goal against Wolfsburg."
Top facts about the Bundesliga cracker between Bayern and Wolfsburg.
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