Wolfsburg in Potsdam date as Frankfurt, Hoffenheim wrestle for third spot: Frauen-Bundesliga Week 15 Preview

· Bayern Munich will be looking to maintain pressure on Wolfsburg when they travel to Köln, who have not won in their last eight Bundesliga matches

· Fourth place Hoffenheim and fifth place Freiburg clash at the Dreisamstadion in Freiburg as battle for champions league places hots up

Champions Wolfsburg will be looking for their 14th win of the term with a walk-over victory over beleaguered Turbine Potsdam at home on Friday evening.

Die Wölfinnen bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim a fortnight ago to record a 4-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen last weekend and will be looking to build on the latest result in their bid to defend the title whilst Potsdam face the uphill task of having to look for their first win of the term against the marauding champions.

Forwards Alexandra Popp and Tabea Waßmuth and midfielder Jule Brand scored in Wolfsburg’s 4-1 win over Leverkusen and will be expected to replicate their form in this fixture. Popp’s brace last weekend saw her overtake teammate Ewa Pajor to become leading scorer in the current Bundesliga campaign with 10 goals in her 1022 Bundesliga minutes for Wolfsburg – a goal in every 102 minutes.

Pajor herself – who is now joint-second top scorer in the current Bundesliga campaign alongside Bayern Munich striker Lea Schüller and Freiburg midfielder Janina Minge – will also definitely be looking to have a say in things come Friday evening. The 26-year-old also brings a lot into the game as she is second top assist raker in the current Bundesliga campaign with six assists behind Bayern Munich defender Carolin Simon who is on seven.

Tommy Stroot’s side sit at the apex of the Bundesliga table on 39 points from 13 wins in 14 encounters whilst bottom-placed Dirk Heinrichs’ side, who have recorded 12 defeats this term, have collected a single point from one draw and have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, former champions Bayern Munich will be looking to make it 10 wins in a row when they travel to troubled FC Köln on Saturday afternoon.

Effervescent following their 4-0 demolition of Duisburg last weekend, Alexander Straus’ side will be looking to keep pressure on log leaders Wolfsburg with a victory in Cologne in their quest to reclaim the title whilst Köln, whose match against Potsdam last weekend was rescheduled to Tuesday March 21, will be looking to recover from a winless run of eight matches.

Forwards Schüller and Lina Magull and midfielders Sydney Lohmann and Georgia Stanway were on the scoresheet in Bayern’s 4-0 destruction of Duisburg last weekend and will be tasked with steering the team to a win. Schüller has bagged nine goals in 14 appearances for the Bavarians this term and is their top scorer.

Bayern, however, will be without club second top scorer Linda Dallmann, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with injury. The 28-year-old tore her anterior syndesmosis ligament in her ankle during Bayern’s 2-0 DFB Pokal quarter-final win over Hoffenheim two weeks ago.

The visitors are second on the standings on 37 points from 12 wins and a draw in 14 ties whilst the hostesses are 10th on 11 points from three wins and two draws and have a game in hand.

Freiburg will be looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat to SGS Essen last weekend when they host Hoffenheim on Sunday evening in what could turn out to be the match of the weekend.

The Freiburg side will throw all their weight as they look to get back in the race for champions league football which also involves Hoffenheim, who were comfortable 4-0 winners over Meppen last weekend.

Midfielders Chantal Hagel and Paulina Krumbiegel and Katharina Elisa Naschenweng were on the scoresheet in Hoffenheim’s 4-0 demolition of Meppen last weekend and the trio will be tasked with steering the ship to a vital victory as they look to keep pressure on Frankfurt on third place.

The Freiburg central defensive partnership of Greta Elisabeth Stegemann and Samantha Steuerwald will also be wary of Hoffenheim gunslinger Nicole Billa, who has scored six goals and made three assists in 14 Bundesliga appearances for her side this term.

On the other hand, Hoffenheim’s centre back partnership of Michaela Sigrid Specht and Luana Bühler will have to be on the watch out for Freiburg’s fun scoring midfielder Minge, who has bagged nine goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances for her side this term.

Hofffenheim are fourth on the standings on 29 points from nine wins and two draws in 14 contests whilst Freiburg are fifth on 22 points from seven wins and a draw in the same number of encounters.

Eintracht Frankfurt will be looking to make it three wins on the bounce when they host Essen on Sunday afternoon.

The hostesses will be looking to build on their 2-0 win over Werder Bremen on Tuesday evening whilst the visitors will be looking to make it two wins in a row following their 2-1 win over Freiburg last weekend.

Swiss forward Géraldine Reuteler scored a brace in Frankfurt’s 2-0 win over Werder Bremen and she will be expected to replicate her form against Essen.

The possible Essen defensive line up of Lena Ostermeier, Jacqueline Meißner, Nina Räcke and Beke Sterner will also need to be on the watchout for Frankfurt's serial goal-scorer Lara Prašnikar who has scored seven goals and made one assist in 13 Bundesliga appearances for the hostesses.

On the other hand, Attacker Ramona Maier scored a brace in Essen’s 2-1 win over Freiburg last weekend and the 27-year-old will be looking to repeat the feat and lead her team to a crucial victory in their quest to overtake fifth place Freiburg.

Frankfurt are third on the standings on 32 points from 10 wins and two draws in 14 outings whilst Essen are sixth on 17 points from five wins and two draws in the same number of ties.

Bayer Leverkusen will be looking to rebound from an embarrassing 4-1 demolition at the hands of Wolfsburg last weekend when they travel to Meppen on Sunday afternoon.

The visitors will turn to the services of 17-year-old Swiss attacker Amira Arfaoui who has scored four goals and made one assist for them in the league this term and is club top scorer.

Bayer are seventh on the standings on 16 points from five wins and a draw in 14 encounters whilst Meppen are eighth on 13 points from four wins and a draw in the same number of contests.

Werder Bremen travel to the MSV-Arena for a clash with Duisburg on Sunday afternoon.

Werder Bremen are 11th on the standings on 10 points from two wins and four draws in 14 ties whilst Duisburg are ninth on 13 points from four wins and a draw in the same number of outings.

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FIXTURES: Friday 16 March, 2023 (19:15) VfL Wolfsburg vs. 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam

FIXTURES: Saturday 17 March, 2023 (13:00) 1. FC Köln vs. Bayern München

FIXTURES: Sunday 18 March, 2023 (13:00) MSV 02 Duisburg vs. SV Werder Bremen

FIXTURES: Sunday 18 March, 2023 (13:00) Eintracht Frankfurt vs. SGS Essen

FIXTURES: Sunday 18 March, 2023 (16:00) SV Meppen vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen

FIXTURES: Sunday 18 March, 2023 (16:00) SC Freiburg vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

All Times are Central European Time (CET)