Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the DFB-Pokal match.
Borussia Dortmund's underwhelming spell following the recent international break should conclude with their trip to face Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal match. Wolfsburg have only managed to defeat a struggling Bochum (3:1), who sit at the bottom of the Bundesliga, and have struggled against other opponents.
Wolfsburg
This season, the revamped Wolfsburg side have rarely delighted their fans with victories. Even in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, the team barely overcame semi-professional side TuS Koblenz (1:0), managing just two shots on target in 90 minutes. Following the international break, they suffered a home defeat against Werder Bremen (2:4) and couldn't beat FC St. Pauli (0:0), generating only 1.06 xG. They will miss five injured players for this match.
Borussia Dortmund
Last week, Borussia Dortmund suffered defeats to Real Madrid in the Champions League (2:5) and Augsburg in the Bundesliga (1:2). However, they were relatively threatening in both matches, creating 2.50 xG over 180 minutes. For the DFB-Pokal match, Nuri Şahin might start with Maximilian Beier, Emre Can, and Pascal Groß—players who were bench options in recent games. Borussia Dortmund remain in the top five in the league for xG (15.96).
Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction
Even with the return of Maximilian Arnold and Patrick Wimmer after suspensions, Wolfsburg's squad lacks the depth and variety as Borussia Dortmund. The Dortmund side will aim to display their best form to support their coach, who is under pressure.
