Wolfsburg - Freiburg (Topics)

WOLF - First win against one of the top teams

Wolfsburg failed to win a single game against one of the Bundesliga’s top teams in the Hinrunde. 

In the opening game of the Rückrunde, however, they secured their first victory over one of those sides in 2020/21 with a 1-0 win in Leverkusen. 

The Wolves are up to fourth in the table (their highest position to date this season) and are now one of the top teams themselves.

WOLF - Better than in their title-winning season

32 points after 18 matchdays is Wolfsburg’s second-best Bundesliga tally. 

They’ve only been better off once: 37 points in 2014/15, when they finished second. 

Even in their 2008/09 title-winning season, the Wolves didn’t have as many points to their name at this stage of the campaign – back then they “only” had 27.

FRI - Back on a winning run

Since the disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Mainz on MD-8, Freiburg have lost just one Bundesliga game, being narrowly beaten 2-1 at Bayern on MD-16. 

They’ve won 6 of their last 8 games and are the most successful Bundesliga team in this time-frame (19 points, same as Bayern but with a better goal difference).

FRI - Freiburg’s impressive record

27 points after 18 matchdays is the second-best tally under Christian Streich, having only picked up more points by this stage last season (29). 

Freiburg are “only” in ninth but their cushion over 10th place is the same as the gap to the Champions League places (third and fourth – 5 points). 

A win in Wolfsburg would see Freiburg move to within two points of the Wolves.

WOLF - Wolfsburg are tricky to break down...

No other top 10 side has scored as few goals (27) as Wolfsburg this season. 

Wolfsburg aren’t renowned for their attacking prowess in 2020/21 but rather their focused defensive efforts, most recently keeping back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this campaign. 

They’ve let in just 19 goals (third best in the league) and have conceded a league-low 12 times from open play. 

In their most recent victory in Leverkusen, the Wolves kept the Werkself’s attacking threat at bay and after scoring the opener in the 35th minute, they allowed them just three attempts. 

Wolfsburg won 58% of their challenges at the BayArena and ran 124.7km, which was further than in any other game this season. 

Wolfsburg are tricky opponents and difficult to break down.

WOLF - ...and hard to beat

Those who concede few goals rarely lose. 

Wolfsburg have lost just 2 games in the Bundesliga this season (in Munich and Dortmund, where they could have got something from both games), fewer than ever before after 18 matchdays. 

Only Bayern and Frankfurt have suffered as few defeats.

FRI - The best attack across the last nine matchdays

Freiburg have scored in each of their last 11 Bundesliga games, which is their longest such run under Streich. 

Freiburg have netted a league-high 23 times in the last 9 matches – not even Bayern have scored as many goals in this time-frame. 

33 goals after 18 matchdays is the second-best tally in the club’s Bundesliga history and their best under Christian Streich. 

They’ve only previously been better off at this stage of a campaign in 1994/95 under Volker Finke (37). 

They face a stern test this weekend against a solid Wolfsburg defence.

WOLF - Wolfsburg strong at home

In a season in which there have been fewer home wins than ever before (58) and almost as many away victories (57) after 18 matchdays, not least due to the lack of fans, Wolfsburg are still strong on their own patch. 

The Wolves are unbeaten at home (W5, D3) and average 2.25 points per game at the Volkswagen Arena (compared to just 1.4 away).

WOLF - Two milestones?

The game against Freiburg is Wolfsburg’s 400th Bundesliga home match. 

In the previous 399, Wolfsburg have scored 699 goals.

Only beaten by the top teams away from home

Freiburg have a balanced record away from home (W3, D2, L3). The Breisgau club lost against three of the league’s top teams on their travels to Dortmund, Leipzig and Munich.

FRI - Fighting until the end

Freiburg have fallen behind early in their last 3 games, trailing after 7' in Munich, 6' against Frankfurt and 7' again in the previous week against Stuttgart. 

However, Freiburg didn’t let that get them down: they managed to come from behind to win for the first time this season against Stuttgart, picked up a point against Eintracht, and scored to make it 1-1 away to Bayern before almost equalising for a second time in the closing stages (Nils Petersen rattled the crossbar).

Lots of early goals

Freiburg don’t only concede early on but also score in the opening stages of games, netting in the game against Stuttgart for the seventh time inside the first 15 minutes of a Bundesliga match this season (only Leverkusen and Union can better this tally – both 8) – this is a new record for the Breisgau club after 18 matchdays.

FRI - Freiburg’s good record against the Wolves

SC Freiburg are unbeaten in five games against Wolfsburg (W2, D3). VfL are one of just four current top-flight teams that the Breisgau club have a positive Bundesliga record against (W12, D10, L11).

FRI - More away wins in Wolfsburg than anywhere else for Streich

Since Christian Streich took charge of SCF, Freiburg have won 3 Bundesliga games in Wolfsburg – more victories than away to any other side. 

The Breisgau club have picked up points on 5 of their last 7 trips to Wolfsburg (in addition to the 3 wins, there have been 2 draws).

WOLF - Air Ridle

Ridle Baku, who is named after Karl-Heinz “Air” Riedle, has scored 3 goals in just 16 Bundesliga appearances for the Wolves, matching his tally from his 50 top-flight games for Mainz 05. 

The 22-year-old, who made his Germany debut recently, scored the first header of his Bundesliga career last weekend in Leverkusen.