Preview: Wolfsburg vs. Sevilla - prediction, team news, lineups

Wolfsburg and Sevilla will both go in search of their first wins of the 2021-22 Champions League during Wednesday's Group G clash at the Volkswagen Arena.

The Bundesliga high-flyers played out a 0-0 draw with Lille on the opening matchday, while Sevilla's clash with Red Bull Salzburg finished 1-1.

Match preview

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Despite being faced with 17 shots and a red card to John Brooks with 30 minutes remaining, Wolfsburg managed to keep Lille at bay and take a point from their opening Champions League clash, but the cracks are starting to show in Mark Van Bommel's side.

After opening their Bundesliga season with four straight wins, Wolfsburg have taken just one point from their last two games in the top flight and fell to their first defeat of the season against Hoffenheim on Saturday, as Ridle Baku's opener was cancelled out by strikes from Andrej Kramaric, Pavel Kaderabek and Christoph Baumgartner in a 3-1 loss.

Now winless in three across all competitions, Wolfsburg have been usurped by Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga rankings and were highly fortunate to come away with a draw against Lille, especially seeing as they only chalked up two shots in the entire game.

This week's hosts have also demonstrated a rather goal-shy nature on home soil this season - notching up a solitary goal in each of their games with RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bochum - but their home form in Champions League seasons gone by is something to behold.

Indeed, Wolfsburg have not hosted a Champions League tie at the Volkswagen Arena since beating Real Madrid 2-0 in April 2016 - four months after beating Manchester United 3-2 at the same ground - and their winning streak at home in the competition stands at five games before the visit of Sevilla.

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With a two-week break in between fixtures before their maiden Champions League battle with Red Bull Salzburg, Sevilla's experienced troops may have felt quietly confident about their chances of an opening-day win, but the Austrian's youthful prospects recorded a 1-1 draw during a pulsating clash.

Ivan Rakitic and Luka Sucic both found the back of the net from 12 yards, but the latter missed a second spot kick after Karim Adeyemi also missed a penalty of his own on the day, and Sevilla held on for a point despite Youssef En-Nesyri's 50th-minute sending off.

Still unbeaten since the 2021-22 campaign kicked off, Sevilla have returned to winning ways in La Liga in convincing fashion and eased to a 2-0 success over Espanyol at the weekend, with En-Nesyri and Rafa Mir netting either side of Thomas Delaney's red card.

Julen Lopetegui's side have only conceded one goal in their three away fixtures so far this season and have proven themselves as a resolute outfit to break down on the road in Europe, with their last Champions League defeat away from home coming all the way back in October 2017 to Spartak Moscow.

Wolfsburg and Sevilla will meet for the very first time at the Volkswagen Arena this week, but the visitors have not had it all their own way against German sides, losing four and drawing two of their last six such encounters.

Team News

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Wolfsburg will be forced into a defensive change following Brooks's sending off and subsequent suspension, so Sebastiaan Bornauw should come in to partner Maxence Lacroix at centre-back.

William, Xaver Schlager, Bartosz Bialek and Paulo Otavio make up the hosts' injured quartet, and Van Bommel may ponder attacking changes given his side's complete lack of firepower against Lille.

Luca Waldschmidt and Lukas Nmecha are both options for change in the final third, but Wout Weghorst should still start at the tip of the attack.

In contrast, Sevilla must make an alteration up top while En-Nesyri takes his place on the naughty step, with Mir ready to deputise after his strike against Espanyol.

En-Neysri actually picked up a hamstring injury during the tie with Espanyol so may have been spared anyway, and the visitors' medical room is otherwise empty at a crucial time.

Delaney's red card in league action means nothing for this game, but the Denmark international may cede his place to Fernando either way.

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Mbabu, Brooks, Bornauw, Roussillon; Arnold, Guilavogui; Nmecha, Philipp, Baku; Weghorst

Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Bono; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna; Jordan, Fernando, Rakitic; Suso, Mir, Ocampos

We say: Wolfsburg 0-1 Sevilla

Sevilla have made a typically eye-catching start to the season under Lopetegui, but without En-Nesyri leading the line, goals may be hard to come by on Wednesday.

Wolfsburg have plenty of fond memories from past Champions League encounters on home soil, although their lack of firepower in matchweek one was alarming, and we expect Sevilla to stand firm and shade a close contest here.