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Preview: Wolfsburg vs. RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Bundesliga clash between Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Wolfsburg will aim to maintain their perfect start to the Bundesliga season when they host last season's runners-up RB Leipzig on Sunday.

The Wolves are the only side in the league to have won their opening two matches, while Die Roten Bullen have won one and lost one under new manager Jesse Marsch.


Match preview

VfL Wolfsburg's Wout Weghorst celebrates scoring their first goal with Paulo Otavio on January 16, 2021© Reuters

A fourth-place finish last season was Wolfsburg's highest placing since 2015, but manager Oliver Glasner controversially jumped ship to Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer.

Mark van Bommel was appointed as his replacement and the Dutchman has overseen a smooth transition, with the exception of disqualification from the DFB-Pokal for using too many substitutes.

Last season's top scorer Wout Weghorst secured a 1-0 win over VfL Bochum on the opening day, before Lukas Nmecha came off the bench to net the winner in a 2-1 comeback victory against Hertha Berlin last weekend.

The Wolves had the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga last season, conceding just 37 goals - the only team to let in fewer were RB Leipzig, with 32.

RB Leipzig's Andre Silva in action with Mainz 05's Robin Zentner on August 15, 2021© Reuters

However, Leipzig lost centre-back pair Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate in the summer, as well as Bayern Munich-bound boss Julian Nagelsmann.

New manager Marsch, recruited from Red Bull Salzburg, oversaw a 1-0 defeat to Mainz 05 on the opening weekend – the club's fourth successive away loss in the Bundesliga.

The Saxony outfit bounced back last week though, with a 4-0 win over Stuttgart, helped by a brace from Dominik Szoboszlai, who preceded Marsch's arrival from Salzburg.

Leipzig, who host champions Bayern Munich after the international break, are unbeaten in their last eight matches against Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:
  • W
  • W

Wolfsburg form (all competitions):
  • L
  • W
  • W

RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:
  • L
  • W

RB Leipzig form (all competitions):
  • W
  • L
  • W



Team News

RB Leipzig head coach Jesse Marsch pictured on August 15, 2021© Reuters

Luca Waldschmidt has arrived at Wolfsburg from Benfica this week, but could be denied a debut after suffering a head injury in training.

Lukas Nmecha will be pushing for a start after scoring the winning goal as a substitute last weekend, while younger brother Felix is still lacking match fitness.

William and Bartosz Bialek are both sidelined with knee injuries and Paulo Otavio has an ankle issue.

Jesse Marsch should name an unchanged RB Leipzig side from their thrashing of Stuttgart, with teenager Josko Gvardiol continuing to deputise for the injured Angelino at left-back.

It means that captain Marcel Sabitzer will once again be left on the bench, along with last season's top scorer Yussuf Poulsen.

If Andre Silva plays, it will be his 60th Bundesliga appearance; he has scored 41 goals in the previous 59, with his first for Leipzig coming last weekend after a summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Mbabu, Lacroix, Brooks, Roussillon; Schlager, Arnold; Baku, Philipp, Steffen; Weghorst

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Gvardiol; Adams, Haidara; Szoboszlai, Forsberg, Nkunku; Silva


SM words green background

We say: Wolfsburg 1-2 RB Leipzig

This will be Wolfsburg's toughest test so far this season and we think it could be their first defeat. Leipzig showed their immense quality against Stuttgart last week and it is hard not to predict an away victory given the talent in their squad.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting a double chance bet on a home win or an away win in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Home/Away:data


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How you voted: Wolfsburg vs RB Leipzig

Wolfsburg
25.7%
Draw
16.5%
RB Leipzig
57.8%
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wolfsburg440061512
2Bayern MunichBayern4310134910
3Borussia DortmundDortmund430113949
4Mainz 0543016249
5Freiburg42206428
6Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen421112667
7FC Koln42118627
8Union BerlinUnion Berlin41305416
9Hoffenheim41128714
10VfL BochumVfL Bochum31023303
11Arminia Bielefeld30302203
12Stuttgart310278-13
13RB Leipzig410356-13
14Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt302136-32
15Augsburg402218-72
16Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach301227-51
17Greuther Furth4013211-91
18Hertha Berlin3003210-80
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ChinaChina966051207
Great BritainGreat Britain413845124
United StatesUnited States373631104
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NetherlandsNetherlands25171759

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