Wolfsburg welcomes FC Bayern: The hype reaches the peak of the Bundesliga

Wolfsburg welcomes FC Bayern
The hype reaches the peak of the Bundesliga

The VfL Wolfsburg footballers have been unbeaten against FC Bayern for five games – and are now going into the top game in the Bundesliga in front of a record crowd. Although it is only the fifth day of the game, a small preliminary decision could still be made in the eternal championship fight.

The hype about the EM heroes is alive, the tryst of Alexandra Popp, Lina Magull and Co. attracts the next record crowd in the women’s Bundesliga. The summit meeting between the insatiable defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and the “hot” hunters from Bayern Munich in the VW Arena definitely ensures a club record. “I’m looking forward to 18,000, 20,000 spectators, to a great backdrop for the top game,” said VfL trainer Tommy Stroot before the showdown of the German industry leaders this Sunday (2 p.m. / MagentaSport, BR and NDR). Wolfsburg’s eight-year-old record for a league home game of 12,464 fans at Elsterweg is pulverized when they move to the VfL men’s home ground.

“It’s a consequence of the European Championship,” said Wolfsburg’s sporting director Ralf Kellermann – after all, there are more than a dozen German national players on the pitch to admire. And for them there is already a lot at stake in the title race on Matchday 5. Everything indicates that the two champions of the past ten years will once again win the cup. “The girls are hot, we’re in the mood,” assured Linda Dallmann, who is two points behind the flawless leaders with Munich due to the draw at Eintracht Frankfurt (0-0) in the opening game in front of a record crowd of 23,200 fans in the league.

Both clubs gained confidence during the week’s start to the Champions League. After the 2-1 win against FC Rosengard from Sweden, the Munich team will start the Champions League group phase with the English European champion Georgia Stanway and the German EM aces Lina Magull, Lea Schüller, Klara Bühl, Linda Dallmann and Sydney Lohmann – but without the injured Giulia Gwinn (torn cruciate ligament).

Wolfsburg is Bayern’s feared opponent

The new trainer Alexander Straus has more failures to complain about and is therefore visibly concerned. “Giulia is 23 and has her second cruciate ligament tear. For sport, we need the best players of a generation to be on the pitch in their prime,” explains the Norwegian: “It’s not just about us either. Many teams currently have serious injuries. There are too many international games.”

At Wolfsburg – with DFB captain Alexandra Popp, Lena Oberdorf, goalkeeper Merle Frohms, Svenja Huth, Kathrin Hendrich, Lena Lattwein and Jule Brand – Tabea Waßmuth (muscle injury), Felicitas Rauch (corona infection) and Marina Hegering, who have been together since struggling with a foot injury at the European Championship in July. “We are on an equal footing with FC Bayern in terms of sport, and Frankfurt is just behind them,” says Kellermann, explaining the constellation in the league.

VfL has been unbeaten in a duel with Bayern for five games, and even managed a 6-0 win in the last home game. However, Frohms does not expect such clear conditions this time. “I think we will see a game at the highest level in terms of football,” said the VfL keeper. On the opposing side, Bayern coach Straus is confident after four games without conceding: “There will be more space and opportunities for us than against opponents who often act very defensively against us. We have to use that.”

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