Two of the most in-form teams in the Bundesliga, RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart, square up against each other at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
VfB Stuttgart will be looking for their sixth straight win in the league when they hit the road to square up against RB Leipzig, who have won five out of their last six Bundesliga outings. Both teams will be looking to strengthen their position in the top four with a win, and it certainly promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
The home team are second on the Bundesliga table with 19 points in their eight outings, thanks to six wins, one draw and a defeat. Since getting smashed 6-0 by the league leaders Bayern Munich towards the end of August, Leipzig have not lost a game.
RB Leipzig have won seven out of their last eight outings and are heading into this fixture on the back of an easy 4-1 win over FC Energie Cottbus in the DFB-Pokal. They will be looking to extend their unbeaten run when they host Stuttgart.
The visitors have also been in sensational form of late. They are third on the table with 18 points in their eight outings, with six wins and two defeats. While Sebastian Hoeness’s men had a disappointing start, five straight wins in the league have helped them break into the top four.
Stuttgart are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win over FSV Mainz in the cup. Given the kind of form they have been in, the away team will certainly give Leipzig a run for their money. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
RB Leipzig
The home team will be without the services of Benjamin Henrichs and Kosta Nedeljkovic. Since they do not have any fresh injury concerns, Ole Werner certainly has quite a few options to choose from for this all-important fixture.
Leipzig will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Peter Gulacsi will take charge in goal. Ridle Baku and David Raum will feature as the full-backs, while Willi Orban will start alongside Castello Lukeba in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Assan Ouedraogo will start alongside Nicolas Seiwald and Christoph Baumgartner in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure they control the tempo of the game.
Finally, Romulo will lead the line for RB Leipzig against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, while Antonio Nusa and Yan Diomande will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their offensive moves.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Gulacsi; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Ouedraogo, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa
VfB Stuttgart
The visitors will be without the services of Ermedin Demirovic and Justin Diehl. Apart from the duo, everyone else should be available for selection. Stuttgart will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Alexander Nubel will be in goal.
The back three will be made up of Julian Chabot, Ramon Hendriks and Finn Jeltsch. The trio will receive significant support from Lorenz Assignon and Maximilian Mittelstadt, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Angelo Stiller will pair up with Chema Andres in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure the RB Leipzig midfielders do not dominate the proceedings in the middle of the pitch.
Bilal El Khannouss and Jamie Leweling will feature as the two creative players behind Deniz Undav, who will spearhead the VfB Stuttgart attack against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Nubel; Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks; Assignon, Chema, Stiller, Mittelstadt; El Khannouss, Leweling; Undav
Key Stats
- RB Leipzig are unbeaten in their last eight games across competitions, winning seven of those fixtures.
- The home team’s last defeat came back in August, when they got smashed by Bayern Munich (6-0).
- Stuttgart have won each of their last five league outings.
- Christoph Baumgartner has bagged six goals in his last four outings for Leipzig.
- Stuttgart have won each of their last four matches against the home team.
Player to Watch
Antonio Nusa
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a decent start to the new season. He has been involved in seven league outings and has contributed towards two goals. Both the goal contributions have come in the last two league outings.
Nusa is slowly growing in confidence, and he will certainly have a big role to play if his team are to beat Leipzig. The Norwegian international’s pace and his ability to take on defenders can certainly play a big role in this fixture.
Prediction
RB Leipzig 2-2 VfB Stuttgart
Both teams head into this fixture in red-hot form, and it promises to be one of the standout clashes of the weekend. RB Leipzig have been relentless since their early-season setback against Bayern Munich, putting together a strong run of results across competitions.
Their attacking unit looks sharp, with Christoph Baumgartner and Antonio Nusa in fine form, while their defensive setup has shown much better organisation of late. Stuttgart, meanwhile, have been one of the surprise packages of the Bundesliga campaign. Their five-game winning streak has showcased not only their attacking flair but also their resilience at the back.
Deniz Undav’s form in front of goal has been crucial, and the visitors will fancy their chances of taking something away from the Red Bull Arena. The Hard Tackle predicts an entertaining 2-2 draw between the two evenly matched teams.
