Matchday in focus: VfL Wolfsburg

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Eintracht Frankfurt

·29 November 2025

Matchday in focus: VfL Wolfsburg

New VfL coach Daniel Bauer is counting on experience in midfield and has numerous absences to deal with. Between the posts, Kamil Grabara is regarded as a master of his craft.

Tactics

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Interim coach Daniel Bauer has opted for continuity in the basic formation, sticking with the 4-2-3-1 formation that has been the Wolves’ preferred system this season in his first match last weekend, a 3-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. However, the 43-year-old will make changes to personnel, partly out of choice and partly out of necessity because of injuries.

In midfield, Bauer is putting his trust in experience and recalled the previously out-of-favour Yannick Gerhardt to the starting line-up against Leverkusen, a player he sees as a “figure of identification in the team”. Gerhardt formed the double pivot with captain Maximilian Arnold. Both should bring stability, although Wolfsburg’s play with the ball has remained too error-prone so far.

The defensive department has seen the least rotation. Kamil Grabara is the undisputed number one in goal, while Jenson Seelt is normally partnered by either Denis Vavro or Konstantinos Koulierakis in the centre of defence. Aaron Zehnter on the left and Saël Kumbedi on the right occupy the full-back positions.

Absentees

Moritz Jenz, Joakim Maehle, Rogério, Kilian Fischer, Kevin Paredes, Bence Dárdai, Jonas Wind and Adam Daghim are currently on the Wolves’ lengthy injury list. Jesper Lindstrøm is a doubt.

For Frankfurt, Hugo Larsson, Jonathan Burkardt and Can Uzun are unavailable.

One to watch: Kamil Grabara

Grabara has been VfL’s first-choice goalkeeper since the start of the 2024/25 campaign. The Pole moved to Lower Saxony following spells at FC Copenhagen and Liverpool. At international level, the 26-year-old made his senior debut for Poland in June 2022 after 19 appearances for the U21s.

Grabara…

… was a Danish champion two seasons running with Copenhagen.
… fulfilled a childhood dream in October 2022 by making his debut in the Champions League for Copenhagen against Manchester City.
… has played on loan for Aarhus GF and Huddersfield Town.

Stats

Eintracht and Wolfsburg have both hit the woodwork six times across the first 11 matchdays of the season.

Eintracht’s five goals conceded on the counter are the most in the league, while the visitors are yet to concede on the break.

Five is also a top number for the Eagles when it comes to headed goals scored – the most in the Bundesliga.

Reunion

Lindstrøm played for Frankfurt from 2021 to 2023 and was part of the team that won the UEFA Europa League in 2022.