Table of Contents
Bayer Leverkusen vs. VfL Wolfsburg
The next task for VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga is Bayer 04 Leverkusen. And this task will be a really tough one for the Wolves, as they will be without their coach Mark van Bommel for the first time. Sporting director Jörg Schmadtke saw no other way out than to relieve the Dutchman of his head coaching duties after four defeats in a row. But his successor is no stranger to the Bundesliga. Florian Kohfeldt, formerly of Werder Bremen, was presented as his successor. A courageous solution, as Kohfeldt led Bremen to second-class status. The task as the new Wölfe coach will not be much easier, as Wolfsburg lost all of their last four Bundesliga games and presented themselves very vulnerable.
Leverkusen wanted to redeem themselves in the Rhine derby against Cologne from the harsh 5:1 defeat against Bayern. Gerardo Seoane’s team was clearly the better team on the pitch, but they failed to convert their chances. So Leverkusen had to settle for a 2:2 after leading 2:0 in Cologne. Too little for the Werkself. The missed derby win was compounded by an unnecessary cup defeat to Karlsruhe on Wednesday evening. Now they have a great chance to get back on track against a weak Wolfsburg. Everything you need to know about this match can be found in our Leverkusen – Wolfsburg betting tip.
Leverkusen – Wolfsburg Info
– Date & Time: 30.10.2021, 15:30 Uhr
– Venue: Leverkusen, Bayer-Arena
– Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 10
– TV broadcast: Sky
Leverkusen Form & Balance Check
Leverkusen could have celebrated a derby victory on Sunday afternoon. What Leverkusen offered in the first half of the Rhine derby against Cologne was pure dominance. The Werkself should inevitably have led by more than just 2:0 at the break. Cologne stood so high that Leverkusen switched mercilessly after winning the ball and counter-attacked Cologne. But of the countless counterattacking situations, Leverkusen failed to finish the vast majority. In the second half, Leverkusen’s fatal failure to take their chances was coupled with simple defensive lapses, which gave Cologne two goals and the final score of 2:2.
From one wasted chance to the next
Gerardo Seoane’s team wanted to forget the bitter 5:1 defeat against Bayern in the Rhine derby. Now we know that Leverkusen did not manage to do so. However, the football gods are currently favouring the Werkself, as their next opponent is one that Leverkusen must beat. Wolfsburg have lost four games in a row and will be without a head coach at the Bayer Arena. If Leverkusen want to get back to 3rd place, everything but a win is forbidden. But part of the whole truth is that Leverkusen was unnecessarily knocked out of the DFB Cup on Wednesday. The Werkself lost 1:2 in its own stadium against the second-division team Karlsruhe. All the more reason for Leverkusen to seize the opportunity to make amends against a weak Wolfsburg.
Leverkusen facts & analysis
– 4th place
– 2 games in a row not won
– 3 wins from last 5 matches
Wolfsburg form & balance check
Many experts predicted that it might not have been such a smart decision by Schmadtke to install Mark van Bommel as head coach. The good start to the season initially masked VfL Wolfsburg’s poor football before the Wolves looked like they had fallen ill in the last four games. Four defeats in a row and a loss at RB Salzburg were enough for Jörg Schmadtke to dismiss van Bommel from his head coach post. Coach Oli Glasner, who first led the Wolves to the Champions League, dismissed Schmadtke despite success due to internal disagreements. Maybe it’s not always the coach’s fault. But who knows? Now with four defeats in a row, Wolfsburg will take on the Werkself. In charge will be Florian Kohfeldt, who was given a head coach contract until 2023. Kohfeldt said: “We are preparing for strong Leverkusen. “
Van Bommel gone – Kohfeldt there
At Leverkusen, Kohfeldt will initially have to do without Wolfsburg’s goal scorer Weghorst. Weghorst is still in quarantine with Corona, although he could not have got the virus as he publicly denied the pandemic. In addition, his comrades did not exactly stand out positively in the last match either. Wolfsburg left behind a collective failure against Freiburg and must currently be very grateful for the good results of the start of the season, which mean that the Wolves are still in 9th place with 13 points despite four defeats in a row. Coach Kohfeldt announced on the basis of this that “we need a lot of courage” to succeed in Leverkusen. There are easier tasks for a coaching debut and for a team that is currently acting without confidence.
Wolfsburg facts & analysis
– 4 defeats in a row
– New coach
– 9th place
Predicted lineup – last update on 28 October 2021
Leverkusen play in a variable 4-2-3-1 system, which allows for two styles of play. On the one hand, the Werkself can shift play to the outer lanes in generic possession, as they close down their centre with five midfielders. On the other hand, Leverkusen can operate offensively through the centre and via the wings. With fast players on the flanks, Leverkusen have a real scoring threat on the field.
Wolfsburg’s playing principle was quite simple for a long time. Long ball or cross to Weghorst and the Dutchman will do it. But as we know, this approach didn’t work under van Bommel, firstly because Weghorst wasn’t in form and secondly because he is in quarantine. We eagerly await how Wolfsburg will perform under Kohfeldt for the first time.
Leverkusen – Wolfsburg direct comparison & Statistics
Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg have met 51 times so far. The more positive record in this duel is on the side of the Werkself, which has celebrated a total of 23 victories. Wolfsburg won 20 games. A further 8 meetings ended in a draw. Wolfsburg won the last encounter 1-0 in Leverkusen on 23/01/2021.
– Both teams won two games each from the last five duels.
– 10 matches in a row either won by the visitors or resulted in a draw.
– Leverkusen last beat Wolfsburg in a home match in 2016.
– Wolfsburg have won three away games in a row at Leverkusen.
