Wolfsburg vs. Freiburg: probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Wolfsburg would've loved to keep playing instead of taking a break for the World Cup. After a stuttering start to the campaign where they won only once in seven, Niko Kovac has got his Wolves roaring again on the back of four straight victories - including a 2-0 triumph over Borussia Dortmund - and nine games unbeaten across competitions stretching back to the start of October. Sitting seventh over the break and only four points off the top four, Wolfsburg beat Bundesliga opposition in Hoffenheim and Augsburg in friendlies ahead of the restart. There are no new faces at the Volkswagen Arena so far this January, but Max Kruse has officially left and Jerome Roussillon has joined Union Berlin, leaving the in-form Paulo Otavio as the undisputed left-back. Lukas Nmecha is the only likely absentee, but younger brother Felix - himself in good form prior to the break - is now a key figure in midfield alongside captain Maximilian Arnold.

While Wolfsburg have improved as the season's gone on, Freiburg have been at it from the start. With only three defeats (to Bayern Munich, Dortmund and RB Leipzig) across 23 competitive fixtures and 30 points on the board, Christian Streich's side are enjoying their best top-flight campaign ever and sit hot on Bayern's tail in second. They ended a memorable 2022 with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over long-time table-toppers Union and went unbeaten through five friendlies during the break, most recently thumping Hamburg 6-2 last week. Doan returns to the Black Forest as a hero in his homeland after helping Japan beat Germany at the World Cup, and the forward will be keen to continue his and Freiburg's form into 2023. Kevin Schade has left for Brentford, and Roland Sallai has a muscle strain, so Doan should line up with top scorer Vincenzo Grifo (11 in all competitions) and Michael Gregoritsch (10) in attack.

Match stats

L. Nmecha is Wolfsburg's four-goal top scorer, followed by midfielder Arnold and right-back Ridle Baku.

Wolfsburg have not won five Bundesliga matches in a row since 2014.

However, the Wolves have won only one of their last eight games against Freiburg, a 3-0 home win in January 2021.

Doan has one assists in two meetings with Wolfsburg (both losses) but has two goals and assists each in the league this season.

Grifo has had a team-leading hand in 11 of Freiburg's 25 Bundesliga goals after 15 matches, scoring nine.

Freiburg won home and away against Wolfsburg last season.

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Probable teams

Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Bornauw, van de Ven, Otavio - F. Nmecha, Arnold (c), Gerhardt - Wimmer, Wind, Kaminski

Out: -

Doubtful: L. Nmecha (knee)

Coach: Niko Kovac

Freiburg: Flekken - Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter (c) - Eggestein, Höfler - Doan, Kyereh, Grifo - Gregoritsch

Out: -

Doubtful: Sallai (muscular), Schmid (ill)

Coach: Christian Streich

About the clubs VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena

SC Freiburg

Europa-Park Stadion

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