Hannover 96 vs Wolfsburg preview - Korkut: Wolfsburg are favourites

Hannover coach Tayfun Korkut insists Wolfsburg are favourites going into this weekend's clash at the HDI-Arena regardless of the fact that his side boast home advantage.

Hannover slipped to eighth in the Bundesliga following back-to-back losses to Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim and that led to club president Martin Kind this week ruling the Reds out of the running for a place in Europe next season.

Kind said the loss to Hoffenheim was evidence they are not good enough to finish in the top six, and Korkut followed his president's lead by also lowering expectations ahead of the Lower Saxony derby against Wolfsburg - even though his side are only one point outside the top five.

"Wolfsburg belong to the top three teams in the league," Korkut said. "That's why they are favourites and we're not, even if this is a home game for us."

Kind earlier justified his claim that Hannover would not be returning to Europe next season by saying they have failed in two of what he felt were three crucial examinations, against Leverkusen and Hoffenheim.

"These three opponents are tests of where we are and we have lost against two out of the three of them," he said.

"So we are probably in a position where we belong. Now we've just got to ensure we break through the 20-point mark before the winter break."

They can do that this Saturday with only a draw, and midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt is not sharing the pessimism of his club's management.

"It's not going to be easy because Wolfsburg have a lot of quality and deserve to be second, but I'm afraid I have to tell them that the points are staying here on Saturday night," be told NDR radio.

Former Hannover coach Dieter Hecking, who is now in charge of the Wolves, does not necessarily agree, however.

"We need to put some more points in the bank so that we are well stocked going into the second half of the season," he said at a press conference on Thursday.

Hecking's attention will then turn to Thursday's trip to Lille, where Wolfsburg need to avoid defeat to join Everton into the last 32 of the Europa League.