Wolfsburg have the chance to make a good season even better when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final this weekend.
After finishing second in the Bundesliga table they now have the chance to lift some silverware, up against a Black and Yellows side determined to wave goodbye to departing coach Jurgen Klopp in winning style. Borussia Dortmund It is easy to forget at this stage, with a cup final on the horizon and European football of sorts secured next season, that Dortmund were rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga table as recently as February.
A 1-0 defeat against 10-man Augsburg in front of their own supporters meant that the impossible was possible - some began to question whether Klopp had taken BVB as far as he possibly could. Since those murmurs of discontent first emerged, a lot has happened - not least Dortmund going on a seven-game unbeaten run in the league to claw themselves well away from the drop zone, which culminated in last weekend's win over Werder Bremen to cement a top-seven place in the table. That victory will be remembered for a lot more than just the scoreline, though, with Klopp beginning his prolonged send-off to supporters after announcing in April that he would indeed step aside. The parting of ways may do both parties good in the long term, but the in-demand manager would love nothing more than to end his highly successful stint in North Rhine-Westphalia with another trophy.
The league position counts for little on Saturday evening, as Die Borussen look to build on their semi-final win over Bayern Munich and claim a third German Cup triumph in eight seasons. Regardless of what happens upon full time this weekend Klopp will walk away from the club with his head held high, but the only way his final season at the helm will be remembered as a true success is if he can steer his side beyond Wolfsburg in the showpiece final.
Recent form in DFB-Pokal: LWWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWDWLW
Wolfsburg
Dortmund may have been the side to offer Bayern their closest test at the top of the division in recent times, but the role of support act in the Bundesliga this term has gone to Wolfsburg. The Wolves ended the season just 10 points off the Bavarian giants, and while winning the crown never really looked probable - even if they did beat their rivals 4-1 in January to keep the title race alive - finishing best of the rest is no mean feat in itself.
It means that Champions League football is back on the agenda for Wolfsburg next season, but the mood among the fanbase may drop a little should they spurn the chance to lift silverware for the first time since their 2009 league success.
Worryingly for Dieter Hecking's side, they could only manage nine points from a possible 19 as they closed the season out, which means that Dortmund actually head into the Berlin final as the form side. That is largely down to striker Bas Dost's failure to maintain his form from the first half of the season. The Dutchman found the net 15 times in his opening 14 games of the campaign, but could only add a further three over the next 13 heading into Saturday's key fixture. However, with the chance of making club history by winning a first ever German Cup on the line, it is unlikely that Hecking will have to do much to motivate his players.
Recent form in DFB-Pokal: LWWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): LWDWWD
Team News
Questions remain over the fitness of defenders Naldo and Marcel Schafer, with Wolfsburg not likely to make a decision until the day of the game. The Wolves could very well stick to the side that edged out Dortmund in the league just a fortnight ago, with Andre Schurrle - a key player all season - offering support to forward duo Ivan Perisic and Dost.
Dortmund have been further boosted heading into the game, with the news that Neven Subotic will remain at the Westfalenstadion beyond this summer. Klopp is likely to name something close to an unchanged side for the journey East, having decided against making a raft of changes in his team's final league outing.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup: Langerak; Durm, Schmelzer, Papastathopoulos, Hummels; Kehl, Mkhitaryan, Gundogan, Kagawa; Reus, Aubameyang
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup: Benaglio; Jung, Rodriguez, Knoche, Klose; De Bruyne, Arnold, Caligiuri, Schurrle; Perisic, Dost
Head To Head
The Wolves will be seeking revenge, having been knocked out of this competition by BVB at the last-four stage in 2013-14. Across the last five games, Wolfsburg have won two - including the recent 2-1 victory - while Klopp's charges have also claimed two wins of their own. There was nothing to separate the pair when they met back in December, meanwhile, as Naldo's late equaliser earned the visitors a 2-2 draw at the Westfalenstadion.
Kick Off Time - 19:00HRS
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