Wolfsburg vs Augsburg – News and Probable Lineups

As their Bundesliga status hangs in the balance, struggling Wolfsburg will host a revitalized Augsburg side at Volkswagen Arena this Saturday.

Die Wolfe are eager to secure their first victory in six matches, while Fuggerstadter are poised to aim for four wins in five outings this weekend.

Match overview

Despite Wolfsburg’s promising December, where they lost just once over four league matches – achieving two victories and a draw – the onset of 2026 has been difficult, with relegation fears surfacing again.

Last Sunday, Die Wolfe salvaged a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw against RB Leipzig. Although that result appears commendable, it masked the reality that the team twice relinquished their lead after goals from Mohamed El Amine Amoura and Mattias Svanberg sent them in front.

This stalemate was part of Bauer’s current five-match winless streak, yet those among the Wolfsburg faithful who are optimistic might note that it marked the end of a disheartening three-game losing streak.

Currently, the White and Greens are positioned 15th in the standings, holding a total of 20 points, precariously just one point above Werder Bremen, who are in 16th place, occupying the relegation playoff position.

Desperate to avoid dropping into the bottom three during Saturday’s fixture, the hosts could take solace from their recent home record at Volkswagen Arena, which shows two wins, one draw, and two defeats in their last five home games leading up to this weekend.

While results have been mixed, this represents a significant improvement compared to the time under Paul Simonis, where Die Wolfe struggled to secure any wins on home soil, managing to avoid defeat just twice throughout the 2025-26 season.

On the other hand, Augsburg has seen a resurgence under Manuel Baum, who took charge on December 1 following Sandro Wagner’s departure.

Baum’s initial run began with a 2-0 success over Bayer Leverkusen just five days post-appointment, and although he had to wait until late January for his next victory, he managed just two losses across his first six matches in charge.

Constructing on that resilient start, Fuggerstadter head into this weekend’s encounter with three wins from their last four Bundesliga fixtures, an impressive run highlighted by a memorable 2-1 victory against reigning champions Bayern Munich on January 24.

Most recently, Augsburg bounced back from a 2-0 defeat to Mainz 05 by securing a 1-0 win over Heidenheim last Sunday, allowing the club to climb above FC Koln to 11th in the table, now six points clear of the relegation zone.

However, even with just one defeat in their last six games, fans traveling to this fixture may be cautious since their team has struggled significantly on the road under Baum.

Team News

The Wolfsburg defense will be stretched due to the absence of centre-back Cleiton, who is dealing with an ankle injury, alongside left-backs Joakim Maehle (shoulder) and Rogerio (muscle), and right-back Kilian Fischer, who is sidelined with a groin issue.

To complicate matters further, centre-half Jenson Seelt and left wing-back Aaron Zehnter are doubts with knee and ankle injuries respectively, while left wing-back Kevin Paredes is also unwell.

Given these circumstances, Denis Vavro and Moritz Jenz are expected to anchor the backline for Bauer’s side, with Jeanuel Belocian and Sael Kumbedi operating at full-back, backed by a midfield comprising Maximilian Arnold and Christian Eriksen, although Bence Dardai is out with a knee injury.

Going forward, it remains uncertain whether Mohamed El Amine Amoura will be available due to ongoing disciplinary issues, but Dzenan Pejcinovic is anticipated to lead the attacking line, supported by Lovro Majer, with striker Jonas Wind ruled out due to a thigh injury, and right-winger Jesper Lindstrom also a doubt because of illness.

In contrast, Augsburg has a much healthier squad, although centre-backs Chrislain Matsima and Jeffrey Gouweleeuw are set to be unavailable due to knee and thigh injuries respectively.

However, Noahkai Kai Daniel Banks, Keven Schlotterbeck, and Cedric Zesiger are poised to form Baum’s back three this weekend, while Robin Fellhauer and Dimitris Giannoulis will provide width from the wing-back positions.

Wolfsburg probable starting XI:

Recording; Kumbedi, Vavro, Jenz, Belocian; Eriksen, Arnold; Daghim, Majer, Shiogai; Pejcinovic

Augsburg probable starting XI:

Damen; Banks, Schlotterbeck, Zesiger; Fellhauer, Jakic, Massengo, Giannoulis; Komur, Claude-Maurice; Gregoritsch

Wolfsburg is in dire need of points to avoid slipping into the bottom three and may draw confidence from playing in front of their home crowd this weekend.

Conversely, while Augsburg may be the more in-form team, their abysmal away performance indicates they could potentially drop points come Saturday.