Following on from Potsdam, the Bayer 04 Women face another top team at the weekend in VfL Wolfsburg. The Werkself Women can go into game in confident mood after last weekend’s win against Turbine and briefly being in fourth place. “Morale has obviously been good this week after the win,” said Feifel but he also sounded a warning: “Wolfsburg are a completely different proposition from Potsdam. We really have to take these opponents seriously...”
The Wolves won the league for the fourth time in succession last term with 62 out of a possible 66 points and without losing a single game. This season, the FC Bayern Women are also in the running for the title as they are top of the table ahead of Wolfsburg on 45 points. VfL are also competing to win the DFB Cup and the Champions League with the team beating the Norwegian club Lilleström SK Kvinner this week to progress to the quarter-finals.
Despite the opponents playing in the week, Feifel is expecting them to be dominant and have the majority of possession with his team having to defend well to stay in the match. It will be a completely different game from last week’s encounter with Potsdam. “But we will obviously take the positives into the game and that helps with self-belief. And we need that too! We can’t afford to be on the back foot and we have to be brave,” said the coach. The aim is to “get a good result” through competitive spirit, aggression and compact organisation.
In terms of personnel, Feifel has increasing options. Jessica Wich and Nina Brüggemann returned to full training this week. Still sidelined are Juliane Wirtz, struggling with a groin injury, and Viktoria Pinther with a back problem. There is also a question mark over Sylwia Matysik being fit in time for Sunday – “that would be a bitter blow. Sylwia with her ball-winning ability, which she showed against Potsdam, is incredibly important for us against opponents like that,” said the coach.
The 56-year-old announced a change in goal for Sunday. Anna Wellmann comes in for Anna Klink. “She has performed very well in training and will now get to play in one or two games,” Feifel explained, “she absolutely deserves it.”
The game for the Werkself Women will be broadcast live: The match is on MagentaTV at #dabeiTV on channel 18 or on MagentaSport. Bayer 04 will stream other Leverkusen Women’s games over the rest of the season on the club’s YouTube channel.
Bayer 04 are again strongly represented in this year's Bundesliga Team of the Season from the games manufacturer EA Sports. Five Werkself players have been voted into the top XI for the 2024/25 season, a duo from the Bayer 04 Women's team are in the female Bundesliga TOTS. Bayer 04 were well represented last season with six male players in the top eleven, the most players from one club.
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