New Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac is set to take charge of his first game on Saturday when his side host Stuttgart at Signal Iduna Park in the Bundesliga.
Kovac's team are 11th with 29 points and defeated Heidenheim 2-1 on February 1, whereas their opponents were beaten 2-1 by Borussia Monchengladbach in the league on the same date and are fifth with 32 points after 20 matchweeks.
Match preview
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BVB were deserving winners last time out considering they prevented Heidenheim from creating a single big chance while producing four of their own, with their 16 shots totalling over two xG.
Kovac was brought in as Nuri Sahin's permanent successor, and the boss has vast experience of coaching in the Bundesliga having previously taken charge of Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Dortmund are only four points from fourth-placed RB Leipzig, who occupy the league's final Champions League qualification spot, so victory on Saturday could see them close the gap to the European places significantly should results go in their favour.
The hosts have scored eight goals in their last four games, but they did concede six in that time and have not kept a clean sheet in 12.
BVB are unbeaten in their three most recent outings – winning two – but they lost their prior four and were also beaten 5-1 by Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on September 22.
Though Dortmund have only won one of their last six matches at home, they emerged triumphant in their previous 11 at Signal Iduna Park.
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Opponents Stuttgart can have few complaints with their defeat against Borussia Monchengladbach considering the victors produced four big chances compared to Stuttgart's one.
Die Roten bounced back from their Bundesliga loss with a 1-0 win against Augsburg in the quarter-final of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday, meaning they have progressed past the stage they were eliminated from last term.
Manager Sebastian Hoeness will have been delighted with his team's clean sheet against Augsburg considering it was their first in five games, a period in which they conceded nine times.
Stuttgart have been beaten in three of their last four fixtures, but they triumphed in eight of their previous nine.
The visitors' form away from home has also been strong in recent weeks given they have won four of their past five on the road.
Team News
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Kovac will be grateful that he is able to pick from a mostly available squad, though he will still be unable to call upon centre-backs Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule due to suspension and injury respectively.
BVB may be forced to use midfielder Emre Can in the backline alongside Waldemar Anton, and they could play behind a double pivot of Pascal Gross and Marcel Sabitzer considering Felix Nmecha is set to miss out on action until March.
Serhou Guirassy is almost certain to be used as his team's sole number nine, and fans can expect Karim Adeyemi and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens to flank him.
Stuttgart will unfortunately be without several players, including defenders Dan-Axel Zagadou and Ameen Al Dakhil, so perhaps Josha Vagnoman, Julian Chabot, Ramon Hendriks and Maximilian Mittelstadt will feature in defence.
Given Enzo Millot is ruled out, Hoeness may partner Angelo Stiller with Atakan Karazor in a midfield two.
Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade are likely to appear as strikers on the weekend, though forwards El Bilal Toure and Justin Diehl will play no part.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini; Gross, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Brandt, Bynoe-Gittens; Guirassy
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Chabot, Hendriks, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Karazor, Stiller, Larsen; Undav, Woltemade
We say: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Stuttgart
The hosts could benefit from the new manager bounce on Saturday, and backed by their fervent home support, they should be considered favourites.
Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to keep Stuttgart from scoring considering they may have to field a makeshift backline, and the visitors will take confidence from their strong record away from home.
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Lewis Nolan
