Kasper Hjulmand will want to see massive improvements from his team and put an end to their dire form that has seen them climb up into the top-four conversation. Bayer Leverkusen are sitting comfortably in sixth, four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig, ahead of the visit of VfL Wolfsburg this weekend.
That final UEFA Champions League spot will be Hjulmand’s ultimate target at the end of the season, but a bad result from here on could prove catastrophic. Leverkusen come into the weekend on the back of three consecutive draws in the Bundesliga, while they have only one win in their last six league games.
Before the international break, Die Werkself put in a dreadful performance in the 3-3 draw to bottom-placed FC Heidenheim, who clawed back from being two goals down to somehow secure a late draw. Now, Hjulmand’s side face the team that sits second from bottom in Wolfsburg, as the manager will demand a big win in this clash.
There is a strange saying in football that if a club ends up with a third manager in one season, they are unlikely to survive the ordeal of relegation. That might be the case with Wolfsburg, who appointed their third boss this season, as Dieter Hecking took charge on 8 March. The idea of appointing Hecking was to bring about someone with a know-how of the club, considering he managed Wolfsburg between 2012 and 2016.
Hecking began his tenure with an eventful draw with TSG Hoffenheim before the international break, and he will want to build on that ahead of the weekend’s clash against Bayer Leverkusen. However, their position in the table calls for big pressure, given they are three points behind St. Pauli, and already in must-win territory.
A win for St. Pauli and more dropped points for Wolfsburg will further pile on the problems for Hecking’s side, which would make them one of the favourites to go down. After facing Leverkusen, Wolfsburg will also have to take on Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich, meaning the game on Saturday is a must-win from many angles.
Kasper Hjulmand must contend with some key injury issues within his squad, especially in the wide areas. Bayer Leverkusen have problems with the right wing-back position, as they are missing Arthur and Lucas Vázquez with ankle and calf injuries, respectively, while left winger Elesse Ben Seghir is also out with an ankle complaint.
Centre-back Jarell Quansah is a big doubt after sustaining a hamstring injury against FC Heidenheim before the international break, and his situation will be assessed ahead of the home game against Wolfsburg.
Fellow centre-back Loic Bade is still recovering from a thigh problem that saw him miss key games, including the two UEFA Champions League clashes with Arsenal. Those problems at the back could see Tim Oermann feature in the back three alongside Robert Andrich and Edmond Tapsoba.
Montrell Culbreath and Alejandro Grimaldo are the ones expected to feature in the wing-back roles, while Exequiel Palacios and Ezequiel Fernandez are set to pair up in the middle of the park. There are further absentees as key midfielder Aleix Garcia is suspended, while Martin Terrier has a hamstring issue that will keep him out.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Flekken; Oermann, Andrich, Tapsoba; Culbreath, Palacios, Fernandez, Grimaldo; Poku, Maza; Schick
Meanwhile, Dieter Hecking must deal with issues at the back that look more like a crisis, as Wolfsburg are missing centre-backs Cleiton Santos and Jenson Seelt from action, while Moritz Jenz is suspended following his red card against Werder Bremen.
They are also without some full-backs, as Kilian Fischer and Rogerio are absent, meaning Sael Kumbedi and Joakim Maehle should start in the wide areas, while Hecking could pick a back three of Jeanuel Belocian, Denis Vavro, and Konstantinos Koulierakis.
There are more problems further up the pitch, with Bence Dardai set to miss the rest of the season, while Kevin Paredes will be unavailable due to a muscle issue.
Attacking midfielder Lovro Majer will also miss out through suspension. Christian Eriksen, Vinicius Souza, Jesper Lindstrom, and Mohamed El Amine Amoura are all in contention to start, with Jonas Wind likely to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Grabara; Belocian, Vavro, Koulierakis; Kumbedi, Eriksen, Souza, Maehle; Lindstrom, Amoura; Wind
The Czech striker will want to play a key role for Bayer Leverkusen in this end-of-season run-in, as he will be key to their chances of finishing in the top four. Schick has been dealing with some injury issues, and now that he has regained fitness, there is pressure on his position with Christian Kofane competing for the No. 9 spot.
At the moment, Schick is the clear candidate to lead the line against Wolfsburg, and he will be instrumental in delivering those crucial goals that could end Bayer Leverkusen’s dreadful recent form. He will be key against Wolfsburg, as the Czech Republic international arguably poses the biggest threat to the opposition defence on Saturday.
There are multiple narratives ahead of this game for both teams, especially with Wolfsburg and the pressure the relegation race brings. With the visitors missing a host of their defensive stars, it is difficult to look beyond a Leverkusen victory here.
Bayer Leverkusen also have their own injury issues, but they have the quality to get past Wolfsburg. Kasper Hjulmand will also look to correct the errors they made against Heidenheim before the international break, and he will want his players to deliver a convincing victory over Wolfsburg to get back in the race for the top four, which may well be the case.
