The final match of the German Bundesliga season will take place on Monday night as Holstein Kiel host Wolfsburg at the Holstein Stadion.
This is the second leg of a tie between the team which finished in third place in the 2. Bundesliga and the team which finished 18th in the Bundesliga. The winner will play in the German top-flight next season while the loser must play in the second tier.
The first leg ended 3-1 to Wolfsburg, who had home advantage and that result means there is everything to play for in the second leg.
Holstein Kiel were disappointed to concede two goals having found an equaliser in the match at the Volkswagen Arena. Goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm did well to keep the hosts from scoring more in the early stages and Holstein Kiel could easily have added another goal towards the end of the game.
Trends show Holstein Kiel do not lose many matches and they have lost only seven of their last fifty games in all competitions, which is a very good record. They have lost one of their last thirteen on home soil but while they have been tough to beat, winning games has not always come easy.
Holstein Kiel have won six of their last thirteen home competitive games and have been in free goal scoring mood at the Holstein Stadion. Markus Anfang’s team have scored 14 goals in their previous five home competitive games at an average of 2.8 per game.
Wolfsburg will be delighted to come into this match with a 2 goal cushion from the first leg and the win was their third in their last sixteen games in all competitions.
Despite winning their final match of the regular Bundesliga season, Wolfsburg could not avoid finishing in 18th place and their away form has been poor. Trends show Wolfsburg have won only 2 of their last 18 away games in all competitions matches but know they can afford to lose this game by a single goal and be safe.
Wolfsburg have had problems defensively this season and have conceded 7 goals in their last two away matches. Wolfsburg have seen over 2.5 goals in each of their last five games in all competitions and have conceded 3 or more goals in three of their last five Bundesliga matches.
Team news and Holstein Kiel will be hoping Dominick Drexler is fully fit having taken part in the first leg. Patrick Herrmann and Dominik Schmidt should also be available and Holstein Kiel are close to full strength.
Wolfsburg could be without Daniel Didavi, Ignacio Camacho, Ahmed Mehmedi and Marcel Tisserand who are all struggling for fitness ahead of the game.
Holstein Kiel have to attack and that will not prove a problem as they have been in great form going forward this season. The problem will come in keeping a clean sheet and while the home team may win the match, Wolfsburg could come through the tie by a single goal aggregate victory.