VfL Wolfsburg

The Wolves finally have another home game! And it’s high time, too, as the Green-and-Whites have been much better on their own patch than on their travels this season. As such, three points are the objective against 1. FC Köln on Saturday (kick-off 15:30 CET) in what is VfL’s first home game of 2024.

VfL Wolfsburg were held to an entertaining 1-1 draw by Heidenheim in their first encounter of the second half of the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign. The Wolves took an early lead through Vaclav Cerny (7’) but the home side responded well and thought they had equalised through Jan Schöppner (21’), only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. Heidenheim did eventually restore parity in first-half stoppage time (45’+2), when Moritz Jenz inadvertently sent the ball into his own net. The hosts had another goal chalked off in the second half as the game ended all square.

Matchday 18 of the Bundesliga is upon us, with the Wolves travelling to 1. FC Heidenheim (Saturday 20 January, kick-off: 15:30 CET) to get the second half of the season under way. The two teams both picked up a point away from home last weekend, with VfL drawing 1-1 at Mainz and Heidenheim also picking up a 1-1 draw at Köln.

VfL Wolfsburg began the new year and ended the first half of the Bundesliga season with a 1-1 draw at 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday afternoon. Vaclav Cerny put the Wolves in front in the 12th minute at the Mewa Arena, but Silvan Widmer levelled for the hosts on 61 minutes. Niko Kovac’s side remain in 10th place in the table for the moment. VfL are back on their travels next Saturday, 20 January (kick-off 15:30 CET), beginning the second half of the campaign away to 1. FC Heidenheim.

As he approaches one year at the club, VfL Wolfsburg sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz reflects on the past 12 months, sheds light on his relationship with Marcel Schäfer and reveals his objectives for the second half of the campaign.

VfL Wolfsburg round off the first half of the Bundesliga campaign with a trip to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday 13 January, kicking off at 15:30 CET. VfL have been comfortable winners in each of their last three meetings with Mainz, scoring 11 goals and conceding none, while they have lost only two of the teams’ previous 15 encounters. Read on for more facts and figures on the sides’ latest clash.

VfL goalkeeper Philipp Schulze is going out on loan to third-division side Hallescher FC until the end of the 2023/24 season.

The Wolves rounded off their training camp in Almancil with a 3-2 friendly victory over FC Schalke 04 at the Estadio Algarve.

Lukas Nmecha’s tale of woe is a long one with many chapters. After breaking his ankle at the end of 2021 and missing eight league games, he was then hit with persistent patella tendon problems barely a year later. Last season, the German international striker managed just 18 appearances in the league and the DFB Cup combined.

The announcement of the one-year contract extension for Pavao Pervan should have delighted all VfL fans. After all, the 36-year-old is seen as the perfect back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Koen Casteels. It’s no coincidence that VfL sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz praised “Pavo” for his reliability on the pitch but also his special standing in the team structure.