A struggling Borussia Monchengladbach side host bottom-of-the-table SV Darmstadt 98 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The hosts have shown promising signs of late despite not picking up many positive results, as the threat of relegation still looms over them.
Match preview
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Gerardo Seoane was set to take his side to third-tier Saarbrucken in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals on Wednesday, but adverse weather conditions saw that game called off.
That means Gladbach were unable to improve on a run of form which has seen them win just one of their last seven matches.
Despite that set of results though, Gladbach can still be largely pleased with how they have performed in 2024.
After taking just one point from their final three games of 2023, Seoane's side returned in style with an impressive victory over Champions League-chasing Stuttgart.
Another three-game winless run has followed, but they did hold Bayer Leverkusen to a 0-0 draw - just the fourth time Xabi Alonso's side have failed to win in any competition this season.
Despite taking the lead at the Allianz Arena last week, the Foals eventually succumbed to Bayern Munich, losing 3-1, which saw them fall to 13th with just a six-point buffer between themselves and the bottom three.
Gladbach's next three home games are all against sides currently below them, though, so they must capitalise if they want to put their minds at ease about a possible relegation fight.
Facing a side who are winless in 13 should provide them with a great opportunity, as Darmstadt's chances of survival get slimmer week-by-week.
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After taking just one point from their opening five games, conceding 16, and losing 3-0 to third-tier Homburg in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, things have only got worse.
That solidarity point came in the reverse fixture, but after leading 3-0, Darmstadt were devastated to only draw the game 3-3.
Back-to-back wins versus Werder Bremen and Augsburg followed, but they remain their only wins of the season, as a run of four draws and nine defeats in 13 leave Torsten Lieberkneckt's side bottom of the Bundesliga.
Three of their four games in 2024 have ended in defeat, with the only exception being a 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt where the Lilies needed a 95th-minute equaliser.
Despite their woeful form, Darmstadt are still only four points shy of the relegation playoff spot, but they look destined to finish somewhere in the bottom three, with the gap to Union Berlin seven points, and a goal difference of -27 likely to be costly.
Team News
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Gladbach will be able to call upon Ko Itakura again after Japan's elimination from the Asian Cup, while Max Wober may also make a return after illness.
Most of Gladbach's issues are in attack, where Patrick Herrmann will remain out for another month, joined by Alassane Plea and Tomas Cvancara on the sidelines, while lingering injury issues saw the club allow Hannes Wolf to leave for New York City FC last week.
Jonas Omlin remains out with his long-term shoulder injury, so Moritz Nicolas will retain his place between the sticks.
After scoring and being sent off in that dramatic 3-3 draw in the reverse fixture, Darmstadt's Matej Maglica has been passed fit for the return after going off early with a knock to the knee last weekend.
Christoph Klarer remains a doubt with an adductor problem, but Julian Justvan has returned from illness and will feature along with Fabian Nurnburger, who has recovered from an ankle problem.
Manager Lieberkneckt has confirmed that Mathias Honsak and Braydon Manu remain out though, while Fraser Hornby and Clemens Riedel will miss the rest of the season.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Itakura, Friedrich, Elvedi; Honorat, Reitz, Weigl, Neuhaus, Netz; Siebatcheu, N'Goumou
SV Darmstadt 98 possible starting lineup:
Schuhen; Bader, Muller, Maglica, Holland; Gjasula, Franjic, Nurnburger; Justvan, Pfeiffer, Skarke
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 4-1 SV Darmstadt 98
Gladbach have been the great entertainers for the neutral, with 16 of their 20 games seeing both teams score, and in a battle between the league's two poorest defences, goals should be a guarantee here.
After two good performances against the top two, if Gladbach can repeat that here, they should have no problem getting past a Darmstadt side who look certain for the drop.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
