Returning to action for the first time since the turn of the year, Stuttgart will travel to take on Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.
The visitors will aim to strengthen their position in third place in the Bundesliga table, while their hosts sit 12th following a dip in form before the break.
Match preview
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Borussia Monchengladbach will return to competitive action on Sunday with the aim of kickstarting an improvement in their Bundesliga fortunes after a disappointing start to the new campaign in 2023.
After their 10th-placed finish last time around, Die Fohlen currently sit 12th after 16 outings with just 17 points on the board, having only managed four victories alongside their seven defeats.
It is at the back where Gerardo Seoane's men have struggled thus far, with only Darmstadt having conceded more than the 35 goals they have shipped, and they headed into the winter break in the midst of a poor run in December, firstly falling to a 3-1 defeat away at strugglers Union Berlin.
Die Fohlen then hosted Werder Bremen and were held to a 2-2 draw despite going 2-1 up through a Rocco Reitz brace, before most recently facing a tough trip to Eintracht Frankfurt and leaving empty-handed in agonising fashion, as they led 1-0 through Max Wober until injury time, only for Aurelio Buta and Robin Koch to turn the game on its head with goals in the dying embers after Wober was sent off.
While they would have headed into the new year in ninth spot if they had have seen that away win out, Borussia Monchengladbach instead find themselves in the bottom half on their return to action, and they will be desperate to start a turnaround with a much-needed home win on Sunday.
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That will be no easy task, though, as Stuttgart arrive aiming to build on a much stronger first half of the season, as Sunday's visitors return in third place in the German top flight.
After only avoiding the drop by winning the relegation playoff last time around, Die Roten have already topped last year's points tally in their opening 16 outings, currently sitting on 34, four behind second-placed Bayern Munich and eight worse off than leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
More importantly, Sebastian Hoeness's side have built up a seven-point lead over fifth-placed Borussia Dortmund in the fight for top-four spots, having headed into the winter break on the back of a victory amidst a tough run of fixtures.
Indeed, Die Roten had to meet the top two back-to-back in December, firstly hosting Bayer Leverkusen and taking a creditable point from a 1-1 draw, thanks to Chris Fuhrich's opener, before travelling to Bayern Munich and falling short in a 3-0 defeat, but they were able to bounce back in the final game before Christmas, dishing out a 3-0 beating of their own against Augsburg as Deniz Undav, Serhou Guirassy and Fuhrich got on the scoresheet.
That leaves Stuttgart in a strong position on their return to action, and with their sights set on cementing a top-four place, they will be keen to pick up where they left off and score a 12th league win of the season in their 17th outing.
Team News
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Borussia Monchengladbach head into Sunday's game without defender Max Wober, who will serve a suspension after his red card in the final game before the break, while goalkeeper Jonas Omlin will likely continue a spell in the treatment room and Ko Itakura is away on international duty with Japan at the Asia Cup.
In the absence of Wober, Marvin Friedrich will likely step into a back three alongside Nico Elvedi and Joe Scally, while Manu Kone should again join mainstay Julian Weigl in midfield.
Alassane Plea, who has netted a team-high tally of seven goals so far this term, will likely continue to lead the line, despite competition from Tomas Cvancara, while Robin Hack and Rocco Reitz will lend support to the lone front man.
Stuttgart will certainly feel the loss of key striker Serhou Guirassy, who sits second in the Bundesliga's scoring charts with 17 league goals so far this term, as he is away on with Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Silas, Woo-yeong Jeong and key defender Hiroki Ito are also on international duty.
In Guirassy's absence, more attacking responsibility will fall on Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Deniz Undav, who has notched up 10 goals of his own this term, while Chris Fuhrich has been another key contributor with five goals and five assists in 16 Bundesliga appearances from the left wing.
Elsewhere, Angelo Stiller and Atakan Karazor could again line up in the engine room if Hoeness sticks with a 4-4-2 shape, while Dan-Axel Zagadou and Waldemar Anton will continue their partnership at the heart of a back four.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Scally, Elvedi, Friedrich; Honorat, Weigl, Kone, Metz; Hack, Reitz; Plea
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Stenzel, Anton, Zagadou, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Stiller, Karazor, Fuhrich; Undav, Millot
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 0-2 Stuttgart
Stuttgart are certainly missing some of their attacking thrust without Guirassy as well as Silas, but they do boast a squad full of quality which has shone so far this season, and we still back them to come out on top against a Borussia Monchengladbach side who are yet to find any form this term.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
