Match Preview: BVB Host VfL Wolfsburg in the First of Four Finals

Oh boy! I haven’t been this excited for a run-in for many, many years! If you have been living under a rock and have somehow missed what is going on at the top of the Bundesliga, I can inform you that Borussia Dortmund are currently 1 point behind Bayern Munich, with only four games left of the season. If the Black and Yellows are to have any hope of lifting Die Meisterschale this year, they have must beat an in-form Wolfsburg side on Sunday. With last weeks disappointment against Bochum, Terzic’s men will have every intention of coming out hungry and aggressive and taking the game by the scruff of its neck.

If there was ever a bad time to play Wolfsburg this season, this is it. The Wolves have scored eight goals in their last two games, against Bochum and Mainz, and three matchdays ago they managed a draw against Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen. Even though a Europa League qualifying spot seems unreachable, Wolfsburg have every opportunity to qualify for the Europa Conference League, with Leverkusen only two points ahead (48). We’re meeting a team on an upswing, with everything to play for, and if you ask me, this game might be the hardest of the remaining four.

Player to Watch: Jonas Wind

No — it’s not my Danish bias — Jonas Wind is actually just a very decent football player. The former FC Copenhagen striker netted two goals last week and has been a somewhat stable piece in Wolfsburg’s attack this season. Wind has six goals in 20 appearances this season — not amazing by any means, but he’s very good at a lot of different stuff.

Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

First of all, his work-rate is really good. He runs a lot, tackles a lot, and clears a lot of balls off corners and other set pieces. He’s insanely good in the air. Having Hummels for this game really is the only way to match him. Wind’s hold-up play is really good as well, and he fills a similar role as Haller does for Dortmund, setting up faster players like Omar Marmoush or Patrick Wimmer. Wind is a real team player and has been for both Wolfsburg and the Danish national team. He’s not the most gracious player by any means, but he’s really effective. Think of an offensive Julian Ryerson.

Predicted Lineup

Terzic hasn’t held his pre-match press conference yet, but I assume Nico Schlotterbeck will be out for this fixture, while Julian Duranville and Mateu Morey still aren’t ready for match action just yet. Other than that, everyone should be good to go.

I don’t have that much to say about this, other than the fact that I think Reus might get the nod over an out-of-form Julian Brandt for this one. Adeyemi and Malen are still in good form, and Haller is — at minimum — useful, even if he doesn’t score goals. Ryerson will be looking to replicate his good display against Bochim last week, and our midfield is self-explanatory.

Score Prediction

Dortmund have the best home record of any team in the Bundesliga, and in an absolute must-win game like this, there are no excuses. I trust Terzic to rally his troops to a 3-1 victory.