Nine wins under their belt and VfL in their sights: in-form Bayern head to Wolfsburg for top-of-the-table clash

As is almost always the case, this fixture promises to live up to its top-of-the-table billing: when FC Bayern Women take on VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, it'll be the league leaders battling their closest rivals. Just three points separate the two sides – so there's a great deal at stake on Matchday 10 of the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga. Kick-off at the Volkswagen Arena is at 17:55 CET.

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On a rainy Parisian evening, the game seemed all but over: the Munich women were leading 2–0 at half-time at the Parc des Princes following Pernille Harder’s energetic run and Klara Bühl’s clinical finish. But Paris Saint-Germain pulled one back from the penalty spot , so Bayern had to close ranks, defend and hold firm against the hosts’ pressure. When PSG's final effort narrowly skimmed past the post, the 2–1 away win was assured.

Just a few days after their success at the Parc des Princes, they face their next test in Lower Saxony. Nine games, nine wins, 27 points: the Munich Frauen travel to their closest rivals Wolfsburg with a flawless record. VfL are on 24 points, having won eight of their nine league matches and dropped points only against Hoffenheim.

The fact that this top-of-the-table clash is taking place at the Volkswagen Arena adds an extra edge: the double winners are familiar with the venue from recent successful encounters. In the Bundesliga last season, FCB won 3–1 there, whilst the reverse fixture in Munich ended 4–1. The Munich side also ran out 3–0 winners in the Supercup at the start of the season. The track record favours Bayern, but that doesn’t make Saturday’s task any easier.

📊 The facts on the top-of-the-table clash in Wolfsburg:

The opposition: VfL Wolfsburg

Second-placed VfL Wolfsburg welcome FC Bayern for this top-of-the-table clash – buoyed by eight wins from nine league games and a 3–1 victory at Frankfurt. Ella Peddemors was directly involved in all three goals in the city on the Main river: she put Wolfsburg ahead, set up Smilla Vallotto’s goal and converted a free-kick herself to seal the win. The Netherlands interenational has now scored 11 goals – the highest tally in the league.

VfL are also flying high in the cup competitions. In the DFB Cup, the Wolfsburg women sent TSG Hoffenheim packing after an 8–0 thrashing. On the international stage, they took the next step in the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup: their 7–0 win in the first leg against Feyenoord was followed by a 3–0 victory in Rotterdam, so they secured their place in the quarter-finals in style. Brøndby IF await them in February – but first up are FCB on Saturday.

👀 What makes the clash between FCB and VfL so special:

Team news

Head coach José Barcala is still without Lena Oberdorf (knee reaction) and Vanessa Gilles (muscle injury) for the match in Wolfsburg. In addition, Kassandra Potsi is unavailable after taking a knock to the knee in the Bremen game. Sophie Proost, however, is back in the squad following her absence due to illness.

Pre-match thoughts

José Barcala: “Wolfsburg have developed very well since our last meeting. The team has a strong structure and makes it very difficult for opponents to put them under pressure. At the same time, VfL are extremely dangerous on the counter-attack and don’t need many chances to score goals. We also need to be very alert at set pieces. The key will be to defend with focus, control those dangerous counter-attacks and make the most of our chances. We know what we're up against – and we'll give it our all to put in a strong performance in Wolfsburg.”

Linda Dallmann: “For years, the encounters between Bayern and Wolfsburg have been incredibly tense and marked by a fierce rivalry. It’s always a massive game where anything can happen – and I’ve already experienced a great deal in these fixtures. That’s why there’s always such huge anticipation. We know we need to be consistent and deliver a top-class performance for the full 90 minutes. We’ve had some strong spells this season, but we need to do even better at maintaining our performance levels throughout an entire match. Our confidence is high because we’re unbeaten so far. Now it’s all about getting off to a good start and showing right from the word go that we’re fully focused.”

Pernille Harder: “I’m really looking forward to the game. Wolfsburg are in very good form – and so are we. Both teams have a lot of quality, so it’s sure to be an exciting clash. We’ll give it our all to come away with a win. There’s a very good atmosphere in the squad. Following our strong performance against Paris Saint-Germain, we’re now ready for the next challenge. It'll be crucial that we rise to that challenge and win the key battles over the full 90 minutes. If we manage that, we'll be able to impose our game on them and show the kind of football we can play.”

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How FCB Women won at PSG: