Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund prediction, odds and betting tips

Borussia Dortmund will be looking to strengthen their position in the top four of the Bundesliga when they face Wolfsburg.

Find the latest match odds for Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund. All odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

• Borussia Dortmund to win - 23/20 with bet365
• Draw at half-time - 7/5 with bet365
• Donyell Malen to score any time - 5/2 with bet365

All eyes were on a titanic title tussle in the Bundesliga last weekend. Unfortunately for Borussia Dortmund, they were not involved. 

This time last year, BVB were in the middle of an eight-game winning streak that propelled them into top spot. Going into the final weekend, Edin Terzic’s side knew that a victory over Mainz would bring them the title.

Yet Dortmund fluffed their lines. They could only manage a 2-2 draw against opponents with nothing to play for. That allowed Bayern Munich to steal the championship crown from under the noses of BVB.

Dortmund actually started the current campaign well as they attempted to put that disappointment behind them, but a poor run before the winter break in effect ended their title chances.

Dortmund have been excellent since the resumption of the campaign post-Christmas, taking 13 points from the last 15 available. No team in the division has a better record in that time.

Despite their uptick in form, Terzic’s team will not be able to close the gap to first place. That is in large part because of the relentless pace set by Bayer Leverkusen, whose 3-0 defeat of Bayern Munich last time out moved them five points clear at the summit of the standings. 

BVB are a further 10 points behind, so no one at Signal Iduna Park is thinking about the title right now.

Their focus instead is on qualifying for the Champions League. Dortmund hold a three-point lead over fifth-placed RB Leipzig at present, but that advantage is too close for comfort.

Dortmund are also through to the knockout stage of this year’s Champions League, with the first leg of their last-16 tie against PSV scheduled for Tuesday. BVB may be out of the title race, but they still have plenty to play for this season.

Borussia Dortmund are in good form and they should have too much quality for Wolfsburg this weekend.

Wolfsburg have had a frustrating season up to now. After finishing eighth last time out, missing out on European football by just one point, supporters hoped to see their team challenge for the top seven in 2023/24.

Then came the summer transfer window, which saw Wolfsburg lose arguably their two best players in Micky van de Ven and Felix Nmecha. That was always going to make life more difficult for Niko Kovac’s team.

The Wolves were 10th in the table going into the winter break, since when they have failed to win all five of the league games they have contested. 

In fairness, Wolfsburg have only lost one of those matches. But the fact they have only picked up all three points on just two occasions since September bodes ill for the visit of Borussia Dortmund.

BVB will head to the Volkswagen Arena in a confident mood given their recent form. They drew 0-0 with Heidenheim at the start of the month, but their other four games in 2024 have yielded 13 goals.

That sort of firepower could overwhelm Wolfsburg, who have gone six matches without a clean sheet.

Wolfsburg have tended to let games get away from them in the second half. 

Whereas they rank a respectable seventh in the Bundesliga table from minutes one to 45 (just one place below Borussia Dortmund, incidentally), they are 14th in the standings covering the second period of games.

The evidence of the season up to now suggests Wolfsburg are more likely to keep Dortmund at bay for 45 minutes than for the full 90.

Although they have not won a game in 2024, Kovac’s team have at least been hard to beat - as evidenced by their record of four draws in five.

Dortmund will look to get out of the blocks quickly, but Wolfsburg will be keen to deny them space in the final third. That could result in stalemate, at least until the interval.

Donyell Malen has really stepped up to the plate in recent weeks. 

After scoring three goals in his first four appearances this term, the Netherlands international failed to find the back of the net for 15 games on the bounce for club and country.

The forward has rediscovered his scoring touch of late, beating opposition goalkeepers five times in his last seven outings. Nicklas Fullkrug is now the only Dortmund player with more goals to his name in 2023/24.

It is not just the goals, though: the former PSV man is also delivering excellent all-round performances, including in the 3-0 triumph over Freiburg last time out.

Wolfsburg are actually a decent team defensively, but it is hard to see them keeping Dortmund out for 90 minutes. Malen can make his mark again on Saturday. 

• Location: Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, England.
• Date and time: Saturday 17 February 2024, 2.30pm.
• How to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.

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