VfL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund Preview: Classic Encounter, Key Battle, Team News & More

The Bundesliga is back, and what better way to start the new campaign than Borussia Dortmund's trip to the Volkswagen Arena.

Dortmund come into this season having been unlucky to lose their super cup clash with Bayern Munich just a few weeks ago. In comparison, Wolfsburg will be desperate to stay well clear of the relegation places this season after scraping past Eintracht Braunschweig in the relegation play-off fixture in May.

Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's clash in Lower Saxony...

Classic Encounter

Sascha Steinbach/GettyImages

Just two months before making a £27m move to Borussia Dortmund, André Schürrle scored Wolfsburg's only goal as they were taken apart by his future employers towards the back end of the 2015/16 season.

Shinji Kagawa and Adrián Ramos netted inside 10 minutes to give die Schwarzgelben a comfortable lead going into the break. Dortmund's own Batman and Robin (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus) took the club's goal tally up to five for the day, with substitute Aubameyang scoring a brace.

Although Schürrle's late goal wasn't enough in the context of the game, it could have gone some way as to persuade the hierarchy at the Signal Iduna Park to sign the German international that summer.

Key Battle

Aubameyang vs Robin Knoche

There's just something about Aubameyang that will keep in this section of Borussia Dortmund previews all season.

As much as I want to talk about the possibility of new boy Landry Dimata causing havoc in the Dortmund backline, the injuries to John Brooks and Jeffrey Bruma leave the Wolves exposed in defence.

Although we can look at the problems Borussia Dortmund have in defence themselves, of which there are a few, missing the two best defenders at your club when you're hosting Dortmund is not something I'd be looking forward to as the Wolfsburg goalkeeper.

Team News

Martin Rose/GettyImages

Prediction

As mentioned before, the hosts are going to be lining up without summer signing Brooks (cracked tendon) in defence, as well as Dutch international Bruma (knee). With Robin Knoche the only experienced centre-back left in the squad, don't be surprised to see Ohis Felix Uduokhai, a summer signing from 1860 Munich, start in the Andries Jonker's first team.

The Wolves are also without right-back duo Sebastian Jung (unknown) and Christian Träsch (operation) in defence, while Vieirinha (ankle) and Marvin Stefaniak (unknown) are absentees for Wolfsburg going forward.

Dortmund have the prospect of seeing Dan-Axel Zagadou feature at left back in Lower Saxony, with Marcel Schmelzer (ankle), Raphaël Guerreiro (ankle) and Erik Durm (hip) all ruled out.

Things don't get better further up the pitch with midfield anchors Julian Weigl (ankle) and Sebastian Rode (muscle) expected to miss the opening day, as well as star man Reus (cruciate ligament). Schürrle will also miss the opportunity to return to his old side after sustaining a recent muscle injury, while Ousmane Dembélé remains suspended.

Potential Wolfsburg Starting Lineup: Casteels, Verhaegh, Knoche, Uduokhai, Gerhardt, Camacho, Guilavogui, Malli, Blaszczykowski, Ntep, Gómez.

Potential Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Bürki, Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Zagadou, Sahin, Dahoud, Kagawa, Pulisic, Philipp, Aubameyang.

This is actually a really tough one to call, however, all signs point to a Dortmund win.

Expect Wolfsburg to be back to their usual selves this season. They've spent well this summer and despite the unlucky timing of Brooks and Bruma's absence, the Wolves will be back in the top half of the table come May.

That being said, Dortmund look too strong in attack not to win this one. Their high line and strong pressing in midfield will open up opportunities for the hosts to get on the scoresheet, however, even the exclusion of 20-year-old Dembélé won't be able to stop the goals flying in on the opening day.

Prediction: VfL Wolfsburg 2-4 Borussia Dortmund