Top-of-the-table clash in Munich: FCB Women host Wolfsburg | OneFootball

A top-of-the-table match at the FC Bayern Campus! On Sunday afternoon, FC Bayern Women host direct rivals Wolfsburg in front of a home crowd for Matchday 19 of the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga. The game against the Wolves kicks off at 16.20 CET.

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Following the last-minute postponement of FC Bayern Women's away match at Werder Bremen scheduled for Monday evening due to the pitch being unplayable, the double winners used the unexpected break for an intensive week of training. They prepared for their 50th Bundesliga clash with VfL Wolfsburg with real focus and a high workrate.

FC Bayern members’ magazine ‘51’ spoke to head coach José Barcala about how he’s developing the team, among other things:

Barcala: 'My players can go all the way to the moon'

Bayern could hardly have got off to a better start to the year: Three games, maximum points - with a commanding 3-0 win over RB Leipzig, a convincing 4-1 at SC Freiburg and a 6-0 thrashing of Carl Zeiss Jena, the Munich side made a strong start to the new calendar year. That means their confidence ahead of the top-of-the-table clash is very high. With 49 points and an impressive goal difference of +62, the German champions are ensconced firmly at the top of the table and head into the matchday's standout fixture with a comfortable cushion.

The opposition: VfL Wolfsburg

The Wolves suffered a setback in their last Bundesliga match before the top-of-the-table clash with Bayern: Despite taking an early lead in the fourth minute, Stephan Lerch's team were held to a 1-1 draw at second-bottom side Essen. As a result, FCB Women's lead in the table was extended to 11 points - although VfL do have a game in hand.

In the UEFA Women's Champions League, however, things went much better: the team from Lower Saxony faced Juventus in the play-offs to qualify for the quarter-finals. After trailing 2-0 in the first leg, Wolfsburg equalised in dramatic fashion with a last-minute goal from Sarai Linder and booked their place in the next round thanks to a hard-fought 2-0 win in the second leg.

The record of previous meetings between the two teams promises an exciting encounter: in 62 games, the Wolves have won 25 times and Bayern 24 times. FCB Women have won five of the last six matches in the German top flight against the team from Lower Saxony. The Reds also won three consecutive Bundesliga home games against VfL for the first time.

Team news

Head coach José Barcala is still missing the long-term injured Sarah Zadrazil (cruciate ligament rupture) and Lena Oberdorf (cruciate ligament rupture) for the clash. Alara Şehitler (partial cruciate ligament rupture) is also unavailable.

Barcala: "We'll have to deliver a strong performance"

José Barcala: "This game is not a final, but another step in the competition. We're in a good position, but that will no longer count once the whistle goes. It's crucial that we put in a strong performance. It's in our hands and that's what we're focusing on. When things get emotional, we'll have to stay calm, act clearly at key moments and take things one step at a time."

Barbara Dunst: "Games like this always have a high level of intensity. We know what makes them special and look forward to them. It's a head-to-head between two teams that have always been on an equal footing in recent years and have fought hard for every point. I have great respect for Wolfsburg and what they've achieved , but we still want to leave the pitch as winners on Sunday."

🏟️✨ FC Bayern Women face Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Champions League - get your tickets for the home game at the Allianz Arena here!

FCB Women's CL quarter-final to be played on 1 April

We take a closer look at our number 9 ahead of the clash against the Wolves:

Jovana Damnjanović: A tireless presence