VfB Stuttgart will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
A struggling Borussia Dortmund will be eyeing consecutive wins in the Bundesliga when they host top-four hopefuls VfB Stuttgart at Signal Iduna on Saturday afternoon. Newly appointed manager, Niko Kovac is all set to take charge in his first match, and he will be hoping to get off to a winning start in front of the home fans.
Borussia Dortmund are 11th on the points table with just 29 points in their 20 outings. Things did not go according to plan, so they ended up parting ways with Nuri Sahin. Since they are only four points behind the team in fourth, all is not lost yet.
The Black and Yellows are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over FC Heidenheim. Borussia Dortmund have been unbeaten since parting ways with Sahin, and they will look to maintain that record.
The visitors are fifth on the points table with 32 points in their 20 outings. VfB Stuttgart have done most things right in the ongoing season, but they are heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive defeats in the league.
After a run of three defeats in a row across competitions, Stuttgart bounced back with a win over FC Augsburg in the DFB-Pokal. They will be looking to build on that result against the team in black and yellow. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund remain without the services of Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule. The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation where Gregor Kobel will be in goal.
Julian Ryerson and Ramy Bensebaini will be the full-backs, while Emre Can will partner with Waldemar Anton in central defence. Pascal Gross and Marcel Sabitzer will form the double pivot in central midfield. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game.
Julian Brandt will take up the number ten role, while Karim Adeyemi and Jamie Gittens will feature on the flanks providing the width to their attacks. Finally, Serhou Guirassy will lead the line for Borussia Dortmund against VfB Stuttgart.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini; Gross, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Brandt, Bynoe-Gittens; Guirassy
VfB Stuttgart
The visitors will be without the services of Dan-Axel Zagadou, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Enzo Millot, El Bilal Toure, and Justin Diehl.
VfB Stuttgart will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Alexander Nübel will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Josha Vagnoman, Julian Chabot, Ramon Hendriks, and Maximilian Mittelstadt.
As for the midfield unit, Angelo Stiller will partner with Atakan Karazor in the centre of the park. While they will feature in a central role, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Jamie Leweling will be taking charge on the flanks. Finally, Deniz Undav will partner with Nick Woltemade in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Nubel; Vagnoman, Chabot, Hendriks, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Karazor, Stiller, Larsen; Undav, Woltemade
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund have won 24 out of the last 50 matches against VfB Stuttgart who only have 15 wins to their name.
- The visitors have won each of their last four games against the team in black and yellow.
- Borussia Dortmund have been winless in their last four league games at home.
- VfB Stuttgart have lost consecutive games in the Bundesliga for the first time in over a year.
- The home team have been unbeaten since sacking Nuri Sahin (W2 D1).
Player to Watch
Serhou Guirassy
Guirassy is all set to square up against his former club and given the kind of form he has been in, the 28-year-old can certainly have a big say on the end result. The former VfB Stuttgart striker made a name for himself at the MHPArena last season, and he has carried on in similar fashion at Borussia Dortmund, with 18 goals and five assists in his 26 outings.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart might have lost their last two Bundesliga games, but their overall form suggests they will put up a strong fight against Borussia Dortmund, who have been struggling since the start of the season.
Meanwhile, the Black and Yellows have not lost since parting ways with Nuri Sahin, and Niko Kovac will be looking to build on his team’s three-match unbeaten run. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the home team.
