Borussia Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg both have had a disappointing Bundesliga campaign thus far. Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg are regular European spot contenders in Germany, but they find themselves dangerously close to the drop zone this season. On Sunday, these teams will have a chance to exploit each other’s miseries at Borussia Park and snatch away three precious points.
Borussia Monchengladbach
Borussia Monchengladbach sit 13th on the league table with 26 points; a point less than Wolfsburg, who occupy the 12th position. A 6-0 thrashing against Borussia Dortmund in the Borussen Derby last weekend has demoralized Die Borussen even further.
While the prospect of a dramatic resurgence to break into the European spots is still mathematically possible, most Monchengladbach fans are counting down the days for this season to be over and hoping that their team will turn over a new leaf next season.
But, Adi Hutter’s men need to be wary of the fact that a few more unfavourable results can throw their Bundesliga survival into question. They need to put together a good run of results, and Sunday’s match could be the perfect starting point.
Borussia Monchengladbach are undefeated in their last four meetings with Wolfsburg. Monchengladbach won twice in those four matches and shared the spoils on two other occasions. Wolfsburg’s recent away form is even more encouraging for the home side, as they lost five of their last six away matches.
We expect Hutter to make some alterations to the starting line-up that got dismantled against BVB, but the match will come too soon for skipper Lars Stindl, who has a knee problem. Mamadou Doucoure will be watching from home as he struggles with a muscle injury. Tony Jantschke could face a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg don’t remotely look like the side that had secured Champions League qualification last season. Like their Sunday hosts, Wolfsburg have had a pretty forgettable season till now. However, they enter the fray in a slightly better mood than Monchengladbach, having claimed six points from the last available nine.
But, they lost their last match at home to Hoffenheim. After January recruit Jonas Wind got them off to a fantastic start, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Andrej Kramaric scored two goals for the visitors in a five-minute spell. The match ended 2-1 in favour of Die Kraichgauer.
Lately, Wolfsburg have been in a free-scoring mood, which could put the home side at risk. Monchengladbach have had a leaky backline this season and has shipped 16 goals in their last 6 outings across all competitions. But, Wolves’ dismal away form and their recent record against Monchengladbach suggest it won’t be an easy match for the visiting team.
Florian Kohfeldt can go with the same line-up that lost to Hoffenheim. Despite the defeat, Wolfsburg’s performance was up to the mark in that match. That means Max Kruse, Jonathan Wind, and Maximilian Philipp are expected to start as the attacking trio. William, Paulo Otavio, and Xaver Schlager are long-term absentees. Lukas Nmecha and Micky van de Ven are close to returning, but they will not feature on Sunday.
Our Prediction
It’s a difficult match to call since both teams haven’t been in good form. There’s very little to separate between the two. It seems destined to be a draw, but we are expecting to see goals.
Betting Tip
Draw @ 3.5.
