VfB Stuttgart can remain alive in the consolation race to finish second in the Bundesliga standings when they host Bayern Munich at MHPArena on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Bundesliga season resumes this week with Matchday 32, with only three rounds of fixtures remaining before the long campaign culminates. The latest gameweek begins on Friday with the game between Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. The action on Saturday kicks off with four simultaneous matches, one of which will see VfB Stuttgart welcoming Bayern Munich to the MHPArena.
VfB Stuttgart have been one of the surprise packages of the 2023/24 campaign after narrowly evading relegation last term. The Swabians have gone from 16th in 2022/23 to third this season, clinching UEFA Champions League qualification. And with nothing left to play for, the home side will look to beat Bayern Munich to the second spot on the table.
Speaking of Bayern Munich, they have conceded the Bundesliga title for the first time in over a decade. While the Bavarian giants have superb underlying numbers, they have not produced the desired output to justify those figures. And the UEFA Champions League is the only trophy they can win this season after Bayer Leverkusen beat them to the Meisterschale.
The reverse fixture saw Bayern Munich cruise to a 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, with Harry Kane scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
VfB Stuttgart
Sebastian Hoeness has new roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Bayern Munich on Saturday, the VfB Stuttgart manager will be bereft of the services of at least five first-team players.
Enzo Millot and Maximilian Mittelstadt are the latest absentees, with the duo serving suspensions after picking up milestone bookings last week against Bayer Leverkusen. Josha Vagnoman (metatarsal), Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee), and Nikolas Nartey (knee) are in the treatment room, while Hoeness is sweating over the fitness of Roberto Massimo.
Alexander Nubel, on loan from Bayern Munich, will take his spot between the sticks, with VfB Stuttgart lining up in a 4-2–2 formation in front of him. The backline should feature Leonidas Stergiou, Anthony Rouault, Waldemar Anton, and Hiroki Ito, who will deputise for Mittelstadt.
As for the midfield unit, Angelo Stiller will deputise for Millot, joining Atakan Karazor in the double pivot. Jamie Leweling and Chris Fuhrich will be the two central attacking midfielders who will supplement Serhou Guirassy and Deniz Undav.
Probable Lineup (4-2-2-2): Nubel; Stergiou, Rouault, Anton, Ito; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Fuhrich; Undav, Guirassy
Bayern Munich
Unlike his counterpart in the VfB Stuttgart dugout, Thomas Tuchel does not have any new concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to the MHPArena. The Bayern Munich manager will be without five first-team players on Saturday.
Sacha Boey (muscular), Tarek Buchmann (thigh), Matthijs de Ligt (knee), Bouna Sarr (knee), and Kingsley Coman (adductor) remain on the sidelines. In addition, Tuchel will rest a few players, keeping an eye on the upcoming UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Bayern Munich will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against VfB Stuttgart, with Manuel Neuer an automatic pick between the sticks. The backline should feature Konrad Laimer, Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae, and Alphonso Davies. As for the midfield unit, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Raphael Guerreiro should pair up in the double pivot.
Serge Gnabry, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Mathys Tel, and Harry Kane should make up the numbers in the offensive department. So, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, and Thomas Muller should get some rest on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Kim, Dier, Davies; Pavlovic, Guerreiro; Gnabry, Choupo-Moting, Tel; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich have won their last 11 away matches against VfB Stuttgart. In their Bundesliga history, the Bavarian giants have only recorded a longer winning run away from home against Werder Bremen (currently 14).
- VfB Stuttgart are unbeaten in 10 games on home turf.
- Saturday’s match will feature the two highest goalscorers in the Bundesliga this season — Harry Kane (35) and Serhou Guirassy (25). In addition, it will also present the teams with the highest expected goals (xG) value in the league. Similarly, Bayern Munich have created the most big chances (142), with VfB second in the list (119).
- VfB Stuttgart have scored 61 of their club-record 70 goals thus far in 2023/24 from open play (87 per cent). Only Eintracht Frankfurt can boast a higher ratio after 31 games.
- Harry Kane needs another six goals to equal Robert Lewandowski’s single-season record (41 goals in 2020/21).
Player to Watch
Serhou Guirassy
The 2023/24 Bundesliga season has featured many surprise packages, one of them being Serhou Guirassy. The Guinea international has been exceptional thus far this term, amassing 25 goals and one assist in 25 top-flight outings. Those strikes have taken him to second on the top scorers chart.
Meanwhile, Guirassy’s progress has alerted several well-known clubs, with a possible move to the Premier League on the cards. He can earn more suitors with a game-changing display against Bayern Munich, with a potential victory also leaving Stuttgart with a chance to topple Die Roten to the second spot in the standings.
Prediction
VfB Stuttgart 1-3 Bayern Munich
The unfortunate part of Bayern Munich yielding the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen is the fact that they have already won more games this season than they did last term. Two more points will ensure usurping another tally from 2022/23. So, the outgoing champions, while being sub-par, have not been excessively poor.
Bayern Munich’s form has improved in the last few weeks, with Thomas Tuchel’s men not facing defeat in six games. On the other hand, the visitors have stumbled in recent outings, failing to win their two most recent matches. The winless run should continue for Stuttgart, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 3-1 win for Thomas Tuchel and his charges.
