AUDIO: Wolfsburg awaits Manchester United in the Champions League (1 min)
As of: November 19, 2025 9:08 a.m
The VfL Wolfsburg footballers have a high hurdle to overcome in the Champions League today if they want to score again after the defeat against Lyon: Manchester United comes to the Mittelland Canal with a record of three wins from three games.
As in the domestic Women’s Super League, the “Red Devils” are third in the table. For coach Marc Skinner’s team, the “premier league” is currently more of an “oasis of well-being” than everyday life in the league, in which they recently suffered two defeats after a good start to the season – a painful 3-0 defeat against City in the Manchester derby at the weekend.
The “Wolves”, on the other hand, were able to celebrate another sense of achievement with their confident progress in the DFB Cup against league rivals SC Freiburg (3:1). Before that, they had also suffered two defeats: the 2:3 in the league against Eintracht Frankfurt was followed by a 1:3 in the Champions League in Lyon.
With a win against Manchester this evening (6.45 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter), Wolfsburg could draw level with United on points in the Champions League – and take a big step closer to the goal of reaching the knockout phase.
Kleinherne in the Wolfsburg squad for the first time
Sophia Kleinherne could then help for the first time. The national player is about to make her debut for VfL almost four months after her thigh injury at the European Championship tournament in Switzerland. As coach Stephan Lerch announced on Tuesday, Kleinherne will be part of the squad. Offensive player Vivien Endemann also returns to the squad after recovering from a muscle injury.
“We know, after four months without a minute of action, that it still takes time.”
VfL coach Stephan Lerch to Sophia Kleinherne
During a rescue attempt in the lost European Championship semi-final against Spain (0:1 nV), Kleinherne sustained a muscle and tendon injury in both thighs. The defender, who moved from Eintracht Frankfurt to VfL in the summer, is probably not an option for the starting eleven yet.
“Everyone knows that it was a very, very long time,” said Lerch: “We know, after four months without a minute of action, that it still takes time. And then we have to give it the time.”
VfL coach Lerch can draw on almost everything
The 41-year-old had “almost all the players on board” against Manchester and spoke of a “positive situation”. Only Smilla Vallotto is still missing. His team’s dominant and confident performance in the DFB Cup round of 16 against Freiburg was also positive. With the exception of a few moments, the Lower Saxony team dominated the game almost at will with great running and tackling strength.
If such a performance can be achieved against United, the chances of a third win in the fourth game are good. Before the fourth matchday of the league phase with 18 teams, Wolfsburg is in sixth place with six points.