When the Wolves step out at the Holstein-Stadion this afternoon (kick-off 15:30 CEST), they will become part of history. That is because they will be involved in the first-ever Bundesliga fixture to take place in Schleswig-Holstein. VfL have crossed swords with Holstein Kiel many times in the past, though – more than with Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Gladbach, for example. Here are more facts and figures on the first away Bundesliga outing of the new season:
- Wolfsburg and Kiel have met no fewer than 57 times in all competitions, with the highest-scoring encounter coming in a 6-0 win for the Green-and-Whites in 1992. There were also 10 top-flight clashes in the old Oberliga Nord between 1954 and 1959 (before the formation of the Bundesliga).
- Two former Wolves played for KSV: Andre Breitenreiter (2003 to 2007) and Stefan Schnoor (2006/2007) both had spells in Kiel.
- One current member of the Kiel team was involved in one of the Wolves’ greatest successes. Dirk Bremser, assistant coach under Dieter Hecking during the club’s glory years around the time of the DFB Cup win in 2015, has been working in the same role at KSV for three years.
- Ralph Hasenhüttl has faced Holstein just once as a coach. Almost exactly 15 years ago, his SpVgg Unterhaching side beat Kiel 3-1 at home in the third division.
- The Green-and-Whites have only lost one of their last nine Bundesliga games against promoted teams (W4 D4) – a 2-1 defeat at Bremen in January 2023. Last season, VfL claimed 10 of a possible 12 points against the new boys – only Leipzig and Leverkusen achieved more.
- Both teams lost 3-2 on Matchday 1. It was the 26th consecutive competitive game in which Marcel Rapp’s side have scored at least once.
- Wolfsburg fielded the youngest starting 11 in the league last weekend. The players who lined up at home to Bayern had an average age of 25 years and 86 days.
