In a clash that could affect the race for Champions League football, Stuttgart will host Freiburg at MHPArena in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The home team are one spot from the Champions League qualification places in fifth and have 29 points following their 2-1 win against fourth-placed RB Leipzig on Tuesday, while their opponents were beaten 4-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday and are in eighth place with 27 points.
Match preview
© Imago
Stuttgart managed to overturn a one-goal deficit against Leipzig thanks to an impressive second-half showing in which they created four big chances, produced nearly two xG and limited Die Roten Bullen to just one shot.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeness will be looking to exact revenge on Freiburg for inflicting a 3-1 defeat upon his side in the reverse fixture on August 24, though he may feel his team should have done better to hold onto their second-minute lead that day.
The hosts have struggled for clean sheets in recent weeks considering they have only kept their opponents at bay once in their last six games, conceding six goals in that time.
However, it should be noted that Die Roten have won five of their six most recent outings, losing just once and scoring double the amount of goals they conceded.
Stuttgart have also achieved victory in each of their past three away matches and have in fact only been beaten in one of their last seven fixtures on the road.
© Imago
As for Freiburg, they took the lead against Eintracht Frankfurt in the 37th minute and were level with the Eagles at half time but only produced one shot from inside the penalty area in the second half.
The visitors have arguably been unlucky from a defensive perspective this season considering they have conceded 30 Bundesliga goals despite only facing 22.6 xG, which is the fifth-best figure in the division.
Though manager Julian Schuster will be concerned that his team have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last eight games, he will be pleased that they have found the back of the net in each of their past seven matches, scoring eight times in their four most recent outings.
Breisgau-Brasilianer are in mixed form, with the club winning two and losing two of their last four fixtures, but it is important to highlight that the two defeats came against third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and second-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
However, Schuster's side's record on the road is poor considering they are winless in seven away games, losing five in that period.
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
Team News
© Imago
Centre-back Julian Chabot was partnered by Ameen Al-Dakhil last time out for Stuttgart, but the latter was replaced by regular Anthony Rouault with half an hour to go, and Rouault could be in the starting lineup on Saturday.
Defenders Maximilian Mittelstaedt and Dan-Axel Zagadou will not be in the squad, much like forwards El Bilal Toure and Justin Diehl, so expect Jacob Bruun Larsen and Chris Fuhrich to flank strikers Denis Undav and Ermedin Demirovic.
In midfield, Angelo Stiller is certain to start, and he may be joined by Atakan Karazor given Luca Raimund is injured.
Meanwhile, Freiburg boast a nearly fully available squad, though midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is not scheduled to return until the middle of February, while centre-back Philipp Lienhart is a doubt due to illness.
Eren Dinkci may start in an advanced midfield position ahead of a double pivot consisting of Maximilian Eggestein and Merlin Rohl.
Centre-back Matthias Ginter is likely to play alongside Maximilian Rosenfelder, and the pair could be flanked by full-backs Lukas Kubler and Christian Gunter.
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Hendriks; Larsen, Karazor, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, Demirovic
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Kubler, Ginter, Rosenfelder, Gunter; Eggestein, Rohl; Doan, Dinkci, Grifo; Gregoritsch
We say: Stuttgart 3-1 Freiburg
Stuttgart's outstanding form in recent weeks should mean they come into Saturday's clash as clear favourites.
Though Freiburg will believe that they can threaten Stuttgart given the hosts have been somewhat porous defensively, the visitors have proven vulnerable at the back themselves, and their frailty could ultimately prove costly.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
