Borussia Dortmund return to action on Saturday as they face an embattled Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, hoping to get within three points of leaders Bayern Munich, who play their match the following day.
With four league wins in a row, Der BVB are breathing fire at the moment and have effectively capitalized on Bayern's recent slip-ups to blow the title race open. Another win this week would really mount pressure on the defending champions, who take on an in-form Hoffenheim in yet another potential banana skin.
However, it's worth noting that Niko Kovac's side survived an almighty scare in their last game against bottom-dwellers Heidenheim, who went 2-1 up at the Signal Iduna Park to turn the screw on their mighty hosts. But a late double from Serhou Guirassy ensured Dortmund walked away with all three points.
Against a struggling Wolfsburg, they have a fifth consecutive victory in sight.
Dortmund have a dominent record to Wolfsburg
Borussia Dortmund just love playing against Wolfsburg. In fact, they have won 13 of their last 16 clashes against them, losing only twice, and picked up some results too during this run, including 6-1 (2022), 6-0 (2023) and 4-0 (2025) wins.
This alone should give them enough confidence to face the Wolves, whose last league win in the fixture came back in November 2022 when they won 2-0 at the Volkswagen Arena. Almost two years later, they also ousted Dortmund in the second round of the German Cup following a 1-0 win in extra-time.
Wolfsburg staring down the barrel of relegation
The Wolves, who have finished in the bottom half of the Bundesliga table for the last two years, have endured another difficult campaign, winning just five of their 20 league games so far and collecting a meager 19 points - just one more than Mainz, who currently occupy the relegation playoff spot in 16th.
Another loss here would mount further pressure on Daniel Bauer's side, who may well slip into the red zone. Moreover, their recent results don't hold them in good stead as Die Weißgrünen are winless in their last three top-flight matches, losing their most recent two.
And if that wasn't enough, their team is currently blighted by several injuries as seven players are currently out, including key figures such as Jonas Wind, who is nursing a hamstring injury while Joakim Maehle has a shoulder problem.
Dortmund could maul Wolfsburg's leaky backline
A big reason behind Wolfsburg's struggles has been their leaky, fragile defense. In 20 games, they have shipped in 42 goals, which is an average of over two goals a game.
More worryingly, the Lower Saxony outfit have conceded at least once in each of their last 12 Bundesliga matches - 29 goals in total.
During this run, Bayern Munich hammered them 8-1, while Freiburg also put four past them. Dortmund, armed with a fiery attacking vanguard, might be licking their lips here.