Borussia Dortmund – VfL Wolfsburg
Nico Schlotterbeck could make his comeback when Borussia Dortmund face VfL Wolfsburg at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday. The center back completed a full training session with the team after the spectacular 4-4 draw against Juventus Turin. The starting positions for the Bundesliga duel could hardly be more different: While Niko Kovač’s BVB sits in second place in the table after two wins and a draw, Paul Simonis’s Wolves are in ninth place with two draws and one win, showing inconsistent form. The recent 3-3 draw against Cologne, in which Wolfsburg conceded two goals in injury time, particularly exposed their defensive weaknesses. The most recent encounters speak for themselves in favor of the home side, who won 4-0 in their last meeting in May and have won three of their last five Bundesliga games. However, Dortmund will still be without Emre Can, Niklas Süle, and Julien Duranville.
- Venue: SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, Dortmund
- Date and time: September 21, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 4)
Dortmund Form & Record Check
Borussia Dortmund’s form has been impressive after their first competitive games, even if their opponents so far have not been real yardsticks. In the league, BVB has picked up seven points from three games, which is currently enough for second place in the table. Only two points separate them from leaders Bayern Munich, while the gap to Cologne in third place is zero.
Noteworthy is their run of five games without defeat across all competitions. They have three wins and two draws, although the goalless draw does not appear in the statistics. BVB have scored in each of their last five games, which speaks for a functioning offense. The team has not conceded a single goal in the first half.
However, the spectacular 4-4 draw at Juventus Turin three days ago also revealed the weaknesses of this Dortmund team. Conceding two goals in stoppage time after leading 4-2 in the 86th minute shows mental fragility at crucial moments. The dispute between Guirassy and Bensebaini over the penalty was symptomatic of a team that has not yet fully clarified its hierarchies. Things have been more solid in the Bundesliga so far: the 2-0 win at Heidenheim was a competitive match against a promoted team, and the 3-0 home win against Union Berlin was also no surprise. The 3-3 draw at St. Pauli on the opening day of the season, on the other hand, already showed the defensive vulnerability that was confirmed in Turin.
Coach Niko Kovač is likely to stick with the tried-and-tested 3-4-2-1 formation for the home game against Wolfsburg, with which Dortmund has kept a clean sheet in three of four competitive games so far. Nico Schlotterbeck could be an option for the starting lineup again after his comeback training, having completed a full session with the team.
The defense around Waldemar Anton and Ramy Bensebaini is considered set, while Julian Ryerson is likely to be back in the back three after his mixed performance in Heidenheim. The personnel situation in central midfield remains problematic, as Emre Can is still out with adductor problems and Niklas Süle is also missing due to injury.
Wolfsburg Form & Record Check
Wolfsburg has been remarkably stable at the start of the new season, even if the results don’t always tell the whole story. With three wins and two draws in their last five games, Paul Simonis’ team has put together an impressive unbeaten run.
The Wolves’ offensive power is striking. In all five games, the team scored at least once, often even in both halves. The 9-0 rout of Hemelingen in the DFB Cup was, of course, against a lower-division team, but Wolfsburg is also proving to be dangerous in front of goal in the league. Mohamed Amoura is developing into an important factor, while Maximilian Arnold continues to provide the necessary assists.
The recent 3-3 draw against Cologne was symptomatic of the current phase. Wolfsburg took the lead twice, only to let it slip away on both occasions. Fourteen minutes of added time and three goals in this phase demonstrated both the morale and the defensive vulnerability of the team. You could say that two points were lost here, but on the other hand, Arnold saved a point with his late free kick goal.
With five points from their first three Bundesliga games, Wolfsburg are ninth in the table, just one point behind RB Leipzig. The gaps are narrow, which underlines the importance of every single game. However, the injury list remains a problem, with Lindstrøm, Paredes, and Vavro all out, depriving the squad of important options.
Coach Paul Simonis is likely to stick with the tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 system that saw Wolfsburg celebrate a spectacular point against Cologne last time out. Grabara is expected to start in goal, while Fischer, Jenz, Koulierakis, and Mæhle could form the back four.
The midfield duo of Arnold and Vini Souza has gelled well, with Skov Olsen, Majer, and Wimmer providing creativity behind them. Amoura is set to start as the lone striker after scoring his third goal of the season against Cologne. The absence of several regulars will be problematic: Lindstrøm is still out with an adductor injury, and Paredes and Vavro are also unavailable.
Eriksen could once again only play a substitute role. The Dane sat on the bench for the entire game against Cologne, even though his wealth of experience could have been beneficial. It remains to be seen whether Simonis will place more trust in the new signing.
H2H Dortmund – Wolfsburg Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The recent record clearly favors Dortmund. In the last five direct duels, the Black and Yellows have prevailed three times, while Wolfsburg has only been successful once. A draw completes the statistics for the past two years.
Dortmund’s impressive 4-0 win at home at Signal Iduna Park in May 2024 was impressive. The Westphalians had already won 3-1 away in Wolfsburg in December 2023. These two league victories show that BVB have been convincing against the Wolves both at home and away.
Wolfsburg’s only victory came in the DFB Cup in October 2023, when the Lower Saxony side narrowly won 1-0 after extra time. In three of the last five encounters, Wolfsburg failed to score in the first half, which suggests a cautious start to the game.
Dortmund has shown remarkable consistency in defense against Wolfsburg. The Borussia team has not conceded a goal in the first half of any of its last five games. This stability could also be a factor again on Sunday.
The tip for both teams to score seems particularly well-founded: Guirassy has already scored eight times this season and, together with Maximilian Beier, leads a BVB attack that has been successful in every competitive game. On the other hand, Amoura has been impressive for Wolfsburg with consistent performances, while the creative duo of Majer and Arnold are always a threat. Dortmund’s defense has shown itself to be vulnerable, as demonstrated by the four goals conceded in Turin, and the absence of key players Süle and Can further exacerbates this problem.
Interestingly, the halftime draw tip exploits a weakness of both teams: their tendency to start cautiously. While bookmakers price Dortmund as clear favorites at 1.5, they may be overlooking the balance of the first 45 minutes. Both Kovač and his Wolfsburg counterpart prefer tactical adjustments at halftime, which often leads to more intense second halves. The riskiest tip on a draw at 5.0 may contradict market expectations, but both clubs are coming into the game with enormous confidence and have recently proven that they can bring about late comebacks. Wolfsburg’s dramatic 3-3 draw with Cologne, with two goals in stoppage time, and Dortmund’s 4-4 draw in Turin show teams that never give up.
