VfL Wolfsburg is the big favorite for promotion to the Bundesliga, but the return to the top flight will not be a walkover. This will already be clear in the first game. Much better is it at the neighbor. Created by Sarah Knauth - Uhr. Just a few weeks ago, it would have been after a goalless draw in the Volkswagen Arena with angry whistles for the Wolfsburger team. But although the VfL has been second-class despite massive support from VW, there was after the 0:0 in the first game in the football basement against 1. FC Kaiserslautern encouraging applause for the completely reformed team of the Green-Whites. "From the energy point of view, it was good. The people also felt it", said Sport Director Pirmin Schwegler. "From the energy level, it was a big step, everything else will come", said the Swiss, who is still in the midst of the upheaval at the wolves with Sport Manager Dieter Hecking and the new coach Tobias Strobl.

Pejcinovic-Abgang fix Immediately before the game, the responsible parties still wrapped up the transfer of Dzenan Pejcinovic, whose change the VfB Stuttgart only officially confirmed. The U21 national striker was still in the squad against Kaiserslautern, but was no longer used. The new VfL construction is still far from complete. For that "the bunch has only been together for seven weeks", it was okay, said Hauke Wahl. The defender from FC St. Pauli was one of eight players in the starting lineup who were not in the completely botched relegation season or like the 18-year-old goalkeeper Jakub Zielinski not involved.

Good phase not enough Above all in the 20 minutes before the break, the VfL showed why almost all experts see the Niedersachsen as top favorites for promotion. Especially Fabian Reese, who came from Hertha BSC, and Muhammed Damar, who was previously at Hoffenheim, indicated that they can dominate the second league with their class. "We played the football we want to play", said Reese. The also highly sought-after technical player did not want to interpret the 0:0 against uncomfortable Lauter as a failure. "We know now all how hard it is to play successful football in the second league", said Reese. "It's a marathon, not a sprint." ## Braunschweig top exactly However, so much effort was made by all parties to take the positive out of the game, it is clear that the VfL is already a little under pressure in the Niedersachsen derby at Hannover 96 on Sunday. Will one maintain the positive atmosphere in Wolfsburg, the club with the highest budget in the league must play from the start to be at the top. Schwegler is convinced that this will succeed. "We will take further steps, and today there were already more than approaches, even if the result is too little." A perfect result was achieved by arch-rival Eintracht Braunschweig at the start of the season. The Lower Saxony neighbor stormed to the top of the table with a stunning 6:1 against 1. FC Magdeburg.