Wolfsburg v Schalke 04 match preview

Wolfsburg travel to Veltins-Arena to face Schalke 04 on Sunday. Schalke manager Fred Rutten has put together one of the Bundesliga's top clubs, featuring a technically efficient defending core, disciplined play and a counter-attack rich unit. In discussing Wolfsburg, the former Twente and PSV man noted:"

"They were hugely impressive. Wolfsburg have a well balanced team with lots of talented players and are always composed on the pitch."

"They know how to counterattack and are good at playing the ball out from the back. They've also made some excellent signings, though they still need a bit of time to gel."

Schalke's backline unit of skipper Marcelo Bordon, Heiko Westermann,Christian Pander,Rafinha and Serbian international Mladen Krstajic will create a formidable wall for Wolfsburg and are prepared to launch a counter. Twenty year-old Croatian international Ivan Rakitić will drive the attack from the wing with Peruvian Jefferson Farfán and Die Mannschaft capped Kevin Kurányi up top. Manuel Neuer is said to return and once adjusted back between the pipes, Schalke's fortune will rise considerably.

Wolfsburg will be without Grafite but the Bosnia and Herzegovina combination of Edin Džeko and Zvjezdan Misimović is one of the most promising in the Bundesliga and will not slow the pace of the attack. Disciplined attacking and solid defending will be key to this important match-up in the Bundesliga.