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VfL Wolfsburg – Union Berlin
After the best European teams dueled in international competitions during the week, all eyes turn back to the Bundesliga next weekend. Matchday 24 is upon us and fans are looking forward to exciting games, including the clash between VfL Wolfsburg and Union Berlin on Sunday. The Eisernen played a spectacular game against Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League on Thursday, which ended 3:3. Whether the spectators can also expect such fireworks on Sunday will be shown in our Wolfsburg vs Union tip.
The Bundesliga is entering the hot phase and if we take a look at the table, we see that the hosts from Wolfsburg are currently in eighth place with 34 points. However, the Wolves have only won one of their last six league games and are in danger of gradually losing touch with the European places. Union Berlin also suffered another setback last weekend. The home game at the Alte Försterei against Cologne ended in a goalless 0-0 draw.
Wolfsburg – Union Info
– Date & Time: 12.03.2023, 19:30 Uhr
– Venue: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg
– Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 24
– TV broadcast: DAZN
Wolfsburg Form & Balance Check
Despite a poor start to the season, the team under the leadership of coach Niko Kovač steadily improved and at one point even put together an impressive run of ten games without defeat. However, this streak came to an end at the end of January with a bitter 2-1 defeat against Werder Bremen. In the following three games, VfL did not record any more victories in the league.
In the last six games, VfL has only picked up one win. Last weekend, the Wolves played to a 2:2 draw against the top team from Frankfurt in a spectacular match. VfL Wolfsburg are currently in eighth place in the table. Eintracht Frankfurt in sixth place are meanwhile already five points ahead of the Wolves.
The key is missing
The key player from VfL in midfield is Maximilian Arnold. At just 28 years old, he is the team’s captain, making him one of the youngest team captains in the league. However, this fact is a reflection of VfL’s squad design, which has the second youngest team in the Bundesliga with an average age of 24.4 years per game.
Despite his relatively young age, Maximilian Arnold is an absolute identification figure for the club. Wolfsburg’s number 27 has been part of the professional team for over eleven years and also played for the Wolves in his youth. Most recently, Arnold also played 62 league games in a row for the Wolves. In the last game against Frankfurt, however, Arnold saw his fifth yellow card and will therefore only be a spectator against Union.
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
– Only one win in the last seven competitive matches.
– Currently in eighth place in the Bundesliga
– Last home win on 21/01/2023 against Freiburg
Union Form & Balance Check
Union Berlin fans are still in seventh heaven. Urs Fischer’s team is exceeding all expectations and even beat Dutch top club Ajax Amsterdam at home in the Europa League. And on Thursday in the round of 16 against Saint-Gilloise, the Eisernen also showed great morale, coming back from behind three times. In the end, Union managed a solid starting position for the second leg with a 3:3 draw.
In the Bundesliga, too, Union continues to be at the top of the league and is currently in third place, which would even mean qualification for the Champions League. However, the FCU remained without a win in the last three Bundesliga matches. Last Saturday, the Köpenicker had to settle for a 0-0 draw against 1. FC Köln
Little offensive pressure
Currently, FC Bayern München once again tops the list of the best defensive teams in the Bundesliga. But in second place in this ranking is already Union Berlin. The Köpenicker have conceded only 27 goals so far this season and only conceded more than one goal in six games. In addition, FCU have conceded only seven goals in their first eight Bundesliga games of the year.
The Eisernen’s offensive, however, is less effective. Union scored only 35 times in this Bundesliga season. This puts FCU only in midfield in the league. Sheraldo Becker is currently the Eisern’s top scorer in the Bundesliga with seven goals. His strike partners Jordan, Behrens and Michel have a cumulative total of eleven goals. Recently, however, no offensive player has been able to really convince in the league.
Union facts & analysis
– Third in the Bundesliga table.
– 14 competitive games at home without defeat
– Second best defence in the Bundesliga
Predicted line-up – last update on 10 March 2023
With regard to the upcoming match against Union Berlin, there are no big surprises in the Wolves’ line-up. Although they have often gone without a win recently, coach Niko Kovač is not planning any major changes to the starting line-up. It is possible that Bornauw will move into central defence in place of Lacroix. However, Arnold will be missing for the Wolves due to a yellow suspension.
For Union, we expect the usual 3-5-2 again. Jérôme Roussillon will probably be fit again against Wolfsburg and return to the starting eleven. Sven Michel also has a good chance of starting after his goal against Saint-Gilloise last week. Accordingly, the Eisern will only be missing András Schäfer through injury.
Wolfsburg – Union Direct comparison & Statistics
Both teams have only faced each other in ten competitive matches so far in their history and the direct comparison clearly goes to the VfL. The Lower Saxons have won five games, while Union have only won three against the Wolves. However, Union won both the first leg at the Alte Försterei and the 2nd round of this year’s DFB Cup.
– Union have not yet won a competitive match at the Volkswagen Arena.
– Union won three of the last four duels with Wolfsburg
– When Wolfsburg lead 1-0 in home matches, they win only 66% of the games
– Did you know that Union Berlin score 31% of their goals between the 76-90 minute?
