Two Bundesliga teams at opposite ends of the table do battle at the MHPArena on Saturday as top-four hopefuls Stuttgart play host to relegation-threatened FC Koln.
The Billy Goats are seeking revenge after they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Die Roten in the reverse fixture five months ago.
Match preview
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After losing their opening two Bundesliga matches in 2024, Stuttgart have since responded well by winning each of their last four and scoring 13 goals in the process, including two strikes in last weekend's eventful 2-1 victory at basement club SV Darmstadt 98.
Star striker Serhou Guirassy fired Die Roten into an early lead with his 18th goal of the season on his first start since returning from Africa Cup of Nations duty, before the 70-minute long first half – which included a lengthy delay due to tennis ball protests from supporters – ended with Pascal Stenzel receiving his marching orders for two bookable offences.
Despite playing the entire second half a man down, Stuttgart held their own and grabbed a second in stoppage time through Mahmoud Dahoud; Aaron Seydel pulled one back for Darmstadt just a few minutes later, but the visitors held on for their 15th league win of the campaign.
Sebastian Hoeness's side have consolidated third place in the Bundesliga table, with their latest victory helping them climb five points clear of fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund – who drew 1-1 with Wolfsburg last time out – while they have also moved to within four points of a faltering Bayern Munich side in second.
With Champions League qualification firmly in their sights, Stuttgart will be keen to build on their strong run of form and put another struggling side to the sword in Koln, against whom they have only lost one of their last 10 meetings in the Bundesliga.
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Koln's three-game unbeaten run in the top flight came to an end a week last Friday when they suffered a slender 1-0 home defeat to Werder Bremen – their 12th league loss of the season.
The closely-fought contest was all square until substitute Justin Njinmah scored what proved to be the match-winner for Bremen in the 70th minute, despite the Billy Goats' best efforts to push for an equaliser in the closing stages.
With 12 Bundesliga games left to play, Timo Schultz's side remain in danger as they occupy the relegation playoff position, sitting just one point above the bottom two and six points adrift of safety.
A challenging run of fixtures in on the horizon for Koln – who have only won three of their 22 Bundesliga matches this term – as their trip to Stuttgart on Saturday will be followed by home encounters with unbeaten leaders Bayer Leverkusen and top-four hopefuls RB Leipzig at the start of next month.
Koln have been missing an all-important spark in the final third throughout this season having scored the fewest goals (15) in the 2023-24 Bundesliga thus far, and they must lace their shooting boots this weekend if they wish to avoid going four successive games without breaching Stuttgart's backline.
Team News
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Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav picked up a hamstring injury against Darmstadt last time out and will join Nikolas Nartey, Dan-Axel Zagadou (both knee) and Samuele Di Benedetto (calf) in the treatment room.
First-choice goalkeeper Alexander Nubel is a doubt having missed the last two games with a hip problem, so Fabian Bredlow could continue between the sticks, while the absence of the suspended Stenzel will likley see Josha Vagnoman deputise at right-back.
Enzo Millot is set to replace Undav and start in the number 10 role behind central striker Guirassy, while Dahoud will be pushing to start in midfield at the expense of Angelo Stiller.
As for Koln, Davie Selke (foot), Mark Uth (knee) and Luca Waldschmidt (broken leg) all remain sidelined with injury, while Damion Downs (concussion) and Faride Alidou (illness) are set to be assessed ahead of kickoff.
However, the Billy Goats are able to welcome back Julian Chabot from suspension and the centre-back is expected to take the place of Luca Kilian, joining Benno Schmitz, Timo Hubers and Max Finkgrafe in a four-man defence.
Schultz is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, in the final third, with Jan Thielmann expected to continue up front as Linton Maina, Florian Kainz and Dejan Ljubicic all provide support in attack.
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Bredlow; Vagnoman, Anton, Ito, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Millot, Fuhrich; Guirassy
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Schwabe; Schmitz, Hubers, Chabot, Finkgrafe; Martel, Huseinbasic; Maina, Kainz, Ljubicic; Thielmann
We say: Stuttgart 2-0 FC Koln
It is difficult to back against an in-form Stuttgart side on home soil, but Koln cannot be entirely discounted as they are fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table and can ill-afford to drop too many more points.
Nevertheless, Die Roten – the third-highest scorers in the Bundesliga – should have few problems breaching the backline of a Koln outfit, whose well-documented struggles in front of goal could let them down once again on Saturday.
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