Levi Rothermund
Wolfsburg and Lyon meet at the Volkswagen Arena on July 24 in a pre-season friendly that carries more weight than the scoreline might suggest. Both clubs are using July to sharpen their squads ahead of the new season, and the gap in world club rankings is the first thing to notice here. Lyon sit ranked 55th globally, while Wolfsburg are ranked 204th. On paper, this is a significant step up in class for the German side.
Paulo Fonseca’s Lyon have been the more active side this summer, playing four matches in the last 30 days compared to Wolfsburg’s two. Lyon’s attacking output has been eye-catching, and midfielder Rayan Cherki remains the player to watch in their setup. His creativity between the lines has been central to how Lyon generate chances. For Wolfsburg, Tobias Strobl’s side will rely on pressing intensity and set-piece organisation, with their most consistent performer in recent games being forward Jonas Wind, who has shown sharp movement in pre-season fixtures.
Hot stat: Lyon hammered St. Gallen 6-3 in their most recent pre-season outing, scoring six goals in a single friendly. That attacking output is hard to ignore when sizing up their offensive potential heading into this match.
| 🏆 Tournament: | International Club Friendly 2026 |
| 🏟 Venue: | Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg |
| 🗓️ Date: | 24.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 14:00 CEST |
Wolfsburg vs Lyon Prediction
Lyon are the clear favourites based on their global ranking, their recent form, and the sheer volume of goals they have been scoring. In the last 30 days, Lyon have won three of four matches and scored 13 goals in four friendly games. Wolfsburg have won both of their recent matches, but those came against significantly lower-ranked opposition in Verl and Schoningen. Their one test against a quality side, Paderborn, produced a 1-2 loss and a 0-0 draw.
We think Lyon will control large portions of this game. Their 4-3-3 formation under Fonseca typically generates high possession and vertical passing, which tends to expose mid-block defences. Wolfsburg’s 4-2-3-1 setup may allow them to stay compact, but their season-long record of just five wins in 24 matches tells a sobering story about their defensive limitations at this level.
Honestly, the value here sits firmly with Lyon to win. Their year-to-date win rate of 59% against Wolfsburg’s 21% underlines the quality difference. Both teams have been scoring freely in pre-season, and given Lyon’s attacking structure, goals from both sides are a reasonable expectation.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Lyon to score in both halves |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | Yes |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 8.5 |
Team Analysis
Wolfsburg come into this match on the back of two wins in July. Their most recent result was a 3-0 victory over Verl, a low-ranked side, which followed an 8-2 demolition of Schoningen. Those are encouraging scorelines, but neither opponent offered any meaningful resistance. Before those wins, Wolfsburg drew 0-0 with Paderborn and lost 1-2 to Paderborn in a different fixture, and earlier in the summer they fell to St. Pauli 1-3. The pattern shows a team that performs against weak opposition but struggles when facing more organised sides. Their full-season record of five wins from 24 games confirms that this squad is still finding its footing under Strobl.
Lyon arrive in considerably better form. Their last four matches in July have produced three wins and one loss. The 6-3 win over St. Gallen stands out as their most complete attacking performance, showing that Fonseca’s side can sustain offensive pressure across 90 minutes. They followed that up with a 2-1 win over Servette. The one blemish came in a 0-1 defeat to Slavia Prague, a side ranked 54th globally, which shows Lyon are not immune to being caught on the counter. Earlier in the summer, they lost 0-4 to Lens, which was a reality check, but that result now looks like an outlier given how they have responded since. Their year-long record of 17 wins from 29 matches reflects genuine consistency.
Wolfsburg. Source: Official Facebook
Most Recent Head-to-Head Matches
There is no recent head-to-head data available between Wolfsburg and Lyon from our records.
🚨Check out our dedicated Wolfsburg vs Lyon stats page for more info.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Lyon the favourite
No pre-game odds were available from bookmakers for this fixture at the time of writing. Given the available data, we can still offer our own assessment of the probabilities.
- Lyon are clear favourites based on their world ranking (55th vs 204th), their recent form, and their overall 2026 win rate of 59% against Wolfsburg’s 21%.
- A draw is possible if Wolfsburg set up defensively and Lyon fail to convert their chances, but it is the least likely outcome given the quality gap.
- Over 2.5 goals looks strong given Lyon’s recent scoring output of 13 goals in four matches and Wolfsburg’s tendency to concede against better opposition.
- Both teams to score is a reasonable lean, as Wolfsburg have shown they can find the net against weaker sides and Lyon have not been entirely airtight defensively.
We think the odds, when available, will reflect Lyon as heavy favourites. The value, if any, sits in the goals markets rather than the outright result given the predictability of the favourite winning.
Possible Starting Lineups
No confirmed player data was available for either squad at the time of publication. Lineup information will be updated when confirmed closer to kick-off.
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Lyon. Source: Official Facebook
TipsGG Match Prediction
Lyon should win this match. The ranking gap between the two sides is substantial, and Lyon’s recent pre-season form, particularly their 6-3 win over St. Gallen and a 2-1 victory against Servette, shows they are in good scoring shape. Wolfsburg have been picking up wins in July, but their opponents have been low-ranked sides with minimal quality. When Wolfsburg faced a more credible test in Paderborn, they drew and lost across two meetings.
Fonseca’s 4-3-3 system generates pressure in transition and creates overloads wide, which Wolfsburg’s 4-2-3-1 will struggle to contain for a full 90 minutes. We expect Lyon to win by at least two goals, with the match producing three or more goals in total. Both teams scoring is a real possibility given Wolfsburg’s attacking intent in pre-season, but Lyon’s superior quality should ultimately be the deciding factor.
- Match result: Lyon win
- Total goals: Over 2.5
- Both teams to score: Yes
- Hot tip: Lyon to score in both halves
