Not only is Monday evening’s match between VfB and Bielefeld a meeting of second against first, but it’s also a clash between the best home team in the league and the strongest away side. The boys in red and white have recorded 30 points from 12 home games this season, while Bielefeld have picked up 27 points from the same number on their travels. An intriguing match-up is therefore in store. “We’re going into this game with great anticipation. We want to show our quality on the pitch again and secure our next three points,” said VfB head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, who is hoping for a “nice evening of football”.
Highest-scoring team and player
Aside from Marc Oliver Kempf and Sasa Kalajdzic, Matarazzo is set to have everyone available. “Gregor Kobel and Roberto Massimo were both nursing thigh problems at the start of the week, but it looks like they’ll be able to resume full training on Saturday and should therefore be ready,” revealed the 42-year-old.
As for Bielefeld, the visitors have been the most successful team in the second tier this calendar year with five wins and one draw, which has seen them pull away from their pursuers Stuttgart (six-point gap) and Hamburger SV (nine points). “They’re a very mature and settled side,” analysed Matarazzo. “They exude stability, they play to win in a controlled way and they grow more dangerous as the game goes on, while allowing few chances. In the pivotal periods of a game they’re very strong, and then they just score lots of goals.”
Bielefeld have found the net 49 times in the league this season – more than any other team. They also possess the division’s top goalscorer in captain Fabian Klos (16 goals), so VfB will need to be on their guard when the whistle goes at 20:30 CET at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.