Wolfsburg reflect on goalless display against lowly Heidenheim: “Our worst game of the season.” | OneFootball

Wolfsburg found themselves bested by struggling Heidenheim in Saturday’s home Bundesliga fixture. When it came time to assess a truly terrible home performance, those tasked with leading Germany’s green company team had much to answer for. Hopes that die Wölfe may achieve European football for the first time since the 2021/22 campaign are steadily disappearing.

Ralph Hasenhüttl’s Lower Saxons – from late January through mid-March – were able to go undefeated in seven straight league fixtures. For a time, it appeared as if the European dream remained very much alive. When it seemed as if the Autostädter had Europe within their grasp, then starting keeper Marius Müller spoke of the need for the team to have “the balls” to accomplish the objective.

Matters have taken a sharp turn for the worse in the last two league rounds. A 1-0 away defeat to Augsburg preceded the international break. Now, Wolfsburg have lost 0-1 to one of the league’s weakest teams at home. With no goals scored and no impetus forward, the team definitely isn’t exhibiting the appendage Müller referred to.

Hasenhüttl’s lineup selection raised plenty of questions. Instead of sending a signal by selecting more attack-minded players, he used Yannick Gerhardt and Bence Dardai as double eights. Mohamed Amoura was unavailable due to suspension, but natural nine Jonas Wind began on the bench with Patrick Wimmer spearheading the attack.

VfL sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz – along with Hasenhüttl – weren’t ones to mince words at the post-match press conference. Schindzielorz seemed in no mood to deny the fact that Hasenhüttl’s initial XI was awful from the start. The head coach himself just went ahead and called the team out.

“From the first minute on, you didn’t get the feeling that we wanted to get anything here,” Schindzielorz said. “We’ve also had difficulties in the last few home games, but at least there was some energy and momentum out of the back. But even that wasn’t there today. No sense in beating around the bush. An absolute disappointment.”

“That was a huge setback,” Hasenhüttl added. “Our worst game of the season.”

GGFN | Peter Weis