Football | VfL Wolfsburg: Biting she-wolves

Thumbs up from Lena Lattwein (right): Cora Zicai (middle) celebrates her 5-0 with Sarai Linder. Photo: imago/HMB-Media/Madeleine Fantini Getting to the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup against a league rival could hardly be more impressive. The VfL Wolfsburg footballers stepped on the accelerator so hard in the home game against TSG Hoffenheim on Monday evening that in the end the scoreboard showed 8-0. There were tears in the eyes of several Hoffenheim women, while the winners did not hide their joy. »It was a lot of fun. If it's 2-0 after twelve minutes, then you've done a lot right," said goalkeeper Stina Johannes, who kept a clean sheet for the eighth time in all competitions this season. »That gives us great security. With Eintracht and Bayern we now have two really big hits in front of us," said the 26-year-old.

“But women’s football keeps moving forward and the course has to be set.”

The chasing duel at Eintracht Frankfurt awaits on Friday (6.30 p.m.) before the front runner from Munich plays against the runner-up on November 14th. “We have to take our self-confidence with us,” also demanded coach Stephan Lerch, who was amazed at how consistently his “Welves” hunted for goals. For the coach, who returned from Kraichgau last year, the shooting festival served as an advertisement for himself: his contract expires at the end of the season. The 42-year-old says he is in "good discussions" but would advise the VW club to "do even more" for the VfL footballers, which is of course easy to say given the car manufacturer's crisis. »It has to be said that we are already doing very well here in Wolfsburg. But women's football keeps turning and the course has to be set," said Lerch on Sky.

Otherwise the national competition will pass you by. In addition to Union Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen is also increasing its efforts, and Frankfurt increased the budget for women by one million euros, according to CEO Axel Hellmann. And what happens when Borussia Dortmund leaves the regional league with the former Wolfsburg creator Ralf Kellermann and the icon Alexandra Popp?

Internationally, the English clubs as well as the Spanish and French top clubs have already escaped. For the factory club, the elimination from the Champions League playoffs against Inter Milan was bitter. At least the team has come to terms with the European Cup. After the 7-0 win in the first leg against Feyenoord Rotterdam, reaching the quarter-finals in the second leg on November 10th is just a formality. Before that, the test of strength at the “eternal third party” Frankfurt will provide information about where VfL stands now. In the previous season he was 16 points behind Bayern and received a lesson in the cup final (0:4).

Leading player Svenja Huth reminded that this competition is “the shortest route to a title”. The indestructible 35-year-old is excited to win the trophy again, to which VfL had a subscription from 2015 to 2024. But two upheavals with the loss of most of the top players were not without consequences. It is now becoming apparent that Dutch top scorer Ella Peddemors will be hard to keep beyond the summer. Therefore, perspectives are needed so that Cora Zicai, for example, stays longer. The 21-year-old has made a leap in her second season on the Mittelland Canal and is likely to go to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Before that, the DFB women undertake a not without controversy trip to South America with test matches against Argentina in La Plata (November 30th) and against Peru in Rio de Janeiro (December 4th).

For now, many are looking at the summit against Bayern in the VW Arena, which was broadcast live on ARD. Presumably there is also discussion on the sidelines about the playoffs that are already being discussed for next season. They could endanger the supremacy of Munich. Before the general meeting of the FBL league association on November 30th, VfL Wolfsburg agreed with FC Bayern that the essence of league operations would be ruined with the “revolutionary scenario,” as it was stated in the tender for media rights. Because ultimately the championship would be decided by a single game. Like in the cup.

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