Bundesliga: Wolves Aim to Show Teeth and Derail Leaders’ Title Charge

Bayern Munich vs VfL Wolfsburg

It’s not quite a Bundesliga home banker but it would take a brave man to bet against Bayern Munich, champions in 11 of the past 12 seasons, this weekend. They host seventh placed Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon from pole position and odds on favourites to reclaim their position as Germany’s number one, a crown that was taken away from them with style and panache by an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen last term.

Bayern ended the year at the summit with a four point advantage and maintained it with a 5-0 thrashing of Hoffenheim in midweek, a game in which Leroy Sane scored twice and in which England captain Harry Kane took his tally to 16 league goals for the season.

The league’s top scorer also has eight assists to his name in his 15 appearances in the division so far this season with plenty of Bundesliga 2025 highlights seemingly to come.

Yet while this SBOTOP writer acknowledges they will take some stopping, there can be no room for complacency.

 

Talking Points

The jury is still out for me on a player who was one of the best defenders ever to grace the English Premier League.

Vincent Kompany is, as yet, an unproven coach at the top level and someone who oversaw Burnley’s relegation in the English top flight last term.

In the opposite dugout this weekend is a man who actually fared better in the Premier League with similar resources.

Indeed, since his arrival last March, Ralph Hassenhuttl first steered Wolfsburg away from the relegation zone and, this season, results have steadily improved to pull the Wolves into the European mix.

They were impressive themselves in midweek with a 5-1 home success over Borussia Monchengladbach which means they come into the contest just three points off a Champions League berth (the top four are guaranteed, there could be a spot for the team which finishes fifth).

After an early Jonas Wind penalty (it’s seven goals in 15 games thus far and seven of those matches he began on the bench), it was an impressive second-half showing that caught the eye with further goals from Joakim Mæhle, Maximilian Arnold and a brace from Lukas Nmecha.

Don’t get me wrong – no one is expecting a charge to silverware like Wolfsburg famously produced in 2009 when, in ninth place, nine points off the summit after 17 games, Felix Magath’s side earned 43 of a possible 51 points to storm to a famous title, finishing two points ahead of Bayern.

But they can show their pedigree with a good result on Saturday to help Leverkusen and, more importantly, themselves.

 

History

Bayern have won 13 of their past 14 meetings, including the last five on the bounce.

The exception to that was a 2-2 draw at the Volkswagen Arena in May 2022 when the title was already won.

On that occasion, Josip Stanisic and Robert Lewandowski scored before the home side pegged back the Bavarians through Wind and Max Kruse.

The games last season both went Bayern’s way.

They won the corresponding fixture 2-0, courtesy of two goals in the first 13 minutes from Lovro Zvonarek (his only league goal to date for Bayern) and Leon Goretzka.

The earlier game also went Bayern’s way as Jamal Musiala and Kane netted in a 2-1 win with Arnold replying for the home side.

On the opening day of the current campaign, Kompany’s men edged an exciting five goal contest with Serge Gnabry grabbing the winner eight minutes from time. Lovro Majer had earlier scored twice in eight second half minutes to threaten a surprise.

Wolfsburg were the opponents when Lewandowski became a record breaker as he scored five goals in nine minutes in 2015.

It’s actually a decade this month since Wolfsburg last defeated Bayern. That was a 4-1 home win when Bas Dost and Kevin de Bruyne each scored twice. Juan Bernat scored the consolation for the Munich giants.

 

Betting Tip

Bayern are big favourites with our Bundesliga 2025 betting.

They are available to back both 1X2 @ 1.17 and Asian Handicap -2.25 @ 2.11, while Wolfsburg are far adrift of that with offerings of 1X2 @ 9.80 and Asian Handicap + 2.00 @ 2.06.

The draw will pay out @ 6.60, while a repeat of the corresponding game last term is on offer @ 7.90 with Correct Score 2-0.

There’s little chance of this being kept tight if you side with the odds of total goal 0-1 @ 6.70, so perhaps you’re more likely to plump for 2-3 @ 2.50 or 4-6 @ 2.11. It’s hard not to back the Bavarians but I don’t think it will be completely one-way traffic.

   

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