Our next opponents: Relegation battle with Dieter Hecking in charge

Position

VfL Wolfsburg have only managed one win so far this year, which began with a historic 8-1 defeat at Bayern Munich. Never before in their Bundesliga history has the club from Lower Saxony lost so heavily. That was followed just a few days later by a 2-1 home win against FC St. Pauli in mid-January. But the Wolves have not won a game since then. Seven defeats and three draws - the results from the last ten games have seen them plummet to 17th place. VfL, who started the season with Paul Simonis as coach and appointed Daniel Bauer as interim coach before the Hinrunde clash with the Werkself (1-3), now have Dieter Hecking as their third coach this season in the battle to avoid relegation.

This is Hecking's second tenure at the Wolves. The first began in December 2012. Three years later, the coach led VfL to the runners-up spot and lifted the DFB Pokal trophy, and a year later he won the Super Cup with the club from Lower Saxony. Now the 61-year-old is endeavouring to save Wolfsburg from their first Bundesliga relegation. Hecking took over three weeks ago and secured a 1-1 draw with TSG Hoffenheim on his debut. Before the international break, however, VfL suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Werder Bremen. The hosts were the more lively team for long stretches of the game and were also solid at the back - and yet they were not focussed enough for one crucial moment. Hecking's verdict: "Overall, we gave very little away. What you can criticise us for today: We were too sloppy in the final third. This game was about who would score the first goal. We had opportunities to take the lead ourselves, but didn't score and then conceded an unfortunate goal."

It was a home defeat that was particularly painful. After all, a win would have allowed them to close the gap on FC St. Pauli (16th in the table). However, the gap to the Hamburg team remains three points. Fifteenth place, which would mean avoiding relegation, is already five points away. With 21 points after 27 games, VfL Wolfsburg are having the worst Bundesliga season in the club's history. The club management are fighting back ahead of the decisive phase: "We'll keep going until it's no longer possible. There are fewer games, fewer chances, but all is not lost," said sporting director Pirmin Schwegler after the defeat against Werder Bremen.

Personnel

Dieter Hecking quickly found a regular formation after taking over in the dugout. Konstantinos Koulierakis, Jeanuel Belocian, who joined on loan from Bayer 04 in the winter, and Moritz Jenz formed the back three in a 3-4-3 system. As the latter was shown a yellow card in the 1-0 defeat to Werder Bremen, Hecking will have to make changes at Leverkusen. Denis Vavro or Jonas Adjetey could take over Jenz's position. Unlike Belocian, who quickly became a regular starter, winter signing Adjetey (FC Basel) has only started once so far.

In the centre of midfield, Hecking has recently placed his trust in Vinicius Sousa and Christian Eriksen, while Joakim Maehle and Sael Kumbedi have taken up the wing positions. Patrick Wimmer and Mattias Svanberg are available as alternatives on the wings. Should VfL captain Maximilian Arnold be fit, he could also line up as a six. In recent weeks, the Wolves' record appearance player has had to miss a lot of games due to groin problems. Up front, Jesper Lindström and Mohammed Amoura have a good chance of making the starting line-up. Both Jonas Wind and Dzenan Pejcinovic or winter newcomer Kento Shiogai are available in the centre of attack. In addition to Moritz Jenz, midfielder Lovro Majer will miss out at Leverkusen due to a one-match suspension. Jenson Seelt, Cleiton, Rogério, Kilian Fischer, Kevin Paredes and Bence Dardai are also unavailable due to injury.

Problems

In defence, the Wolves are the second weakest team in the league after Heidenheim (61) with 57 goals conceded. VfL have only kept a clean sheet once in their 27 games to date. The Green and Whites are particularly weak in the closing stages of games: No team has conceded more goals in the final quarter of an hour than VfL (17). Although the team from Lower Saxony took the lead in 16 games, they only won five of them. A total of 28 points have been dropped after taking the lead - the highest number among all Bundesliga clubs. On the other hand, VfL have fallen behind 18 times so far - not winning a single one of these games and only managing to clock up two draws. The Wolves are particularly struggling at home at the Volkswagen Arena: VfL are the only team in the Bundesliga to have picked up more points on the road than at home. Wolfsburg have collected twelve points away from home and only nine after 14 games at home. That makes the Wolves the weakest team in the league at home.

They now face a tricky run of fixtures: In Bayer 04, Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin, SC Freiburg and Bayern Munich, Hecking's team still have five teams from the top half of the table ahead of them in the last seven matches. It is possible that the final game of the season at FC St. Pauli could turn out to be the final game in the battle to avoid relegation - if necessary via the relegation play-offs. It would be the third in the club's history. VfL supervisory board member Diego Benaglio said: "Looking at the table, the realistic goal must be that we work our way towards the play-off and fight for 16th place first." Wolfsburg need wins as quickly as possible to achieve that target.

Performers

Even through the results have often been disappointing, the Wolves have shown what they are capable of in the Rückrunde. They were clearly the better side in the second half in the 1-0 defeat at FC Köln. "We played with high intensity, courage and bravery going forward," said sporting director Pirmin Schwegler. With high pressing and quick transition, VfL also created numerous scoring chances a week later in the 2-1 defeat against Borussia Dortmund, but missed too many of them and once again suffered a late setback shortly before the final whistle. Wolfsburg also led twice in the 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig before conceding another late equaliser.

VfL have a lot of players in midfield and attack capable of scoring. The Werkself should pay particular attention to top scorer and provider Mohammed Amoura (8 goals, 4 assists). The 1.70 metre forward is quick and agile. And a key player in the relegation battle. The Algerian's goals and assists will be crucial. "They have to make sure he's on the pitch every week. That's the hope for VfL Wolfsburg," says Sky pundit Didi Hamann. Another hope is Wolfsburg's most consistent player to date: goalkeeper Kamil Grabara. The Polish international has kept out the second highest number of big chances (25) after St. Pauli's Nikola Vasilj (28) and he has also made the second most saves (97) after Mönchengladbach's Moritz Nicolas (100). Grabara has also saved three penalties.