Borussia Mönchengladbach need a win to keep their top-six dreams alive, but won't have it easy against a Wolfsburg side perched perilously close to the relegation zone when the two sides meet at Borussia-Park on Friday (kick-off: 08:30 CEST PM/ 06:30 PM GMT/ 02:30 PM EST).
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Despite taking the lead in their trip to Bayern Munich last weekend, Gladbach ended up on the receiving end of a bruising 5-1 defeat. To compound matters, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig both picked up points to leave Dieter Hecking's men six points adrift of the European places with only four games to go. Captain Lars Stindl returns from suspension, with Jonas Hofmann and Josip Drmic candidates to make way. Drmic did score in Munich, though, so may be preferred to Raffael in attack. Midfielder Tobias Strobl is also in contention after making his first appearance in almost a year as a substitute at the Allianz Arena.
Wolfsburg missed the opportunity to open up a three-point gap on the relegation play-off spot after being held to goalless draw at home to Augsburg. The Wolves are the second-lowest scorers outside the bottom three, netting only 30 goals and just two in their last five. Divock Origi's barren spell isn't helping matters: the Liverpool loanee is without a goal in nine matches, and could make way for Josip Brekalo or Victor Osimhen. Felix Uduokhai serves a one-match ban, meaning USA defender John Brooks could come in for his first appearance since December after recovering from a knee injury.
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Probable line-ups
Gladbach: Sommer – Elvedi, Ginter, Vestergaard, Wendt – Hofmann, Zakaria, Kramer, Hazard – Raffael, Stindl (c)
Absentees: Doucoure (thigh), Herrmann (ankle), Villalba (thigh)
Coach: Dieter Hecking
Wolfsburg: Casteels – Jaeckel, Brooks, Knoche – Verhaegh, Arnold, Bazoer, William – Didavi – Dimata, Malli
Absentees: Guilavogui (muscular problems), Uduokhai (suspended), Itter (thigh), Camacho (muscular problems), Mehmedi (foot)
Coach: Bruno Labbadia
Match stats
Source: bundesliga.com