Dortmund back in BL after UCL win over Brugge.

2024-09-17

Stuttgart, fresh from a spirited Champions League appearance, seeks to extend their impressive home unbeaten streak as they face Dortmund, who aim to overcome recent away struggles in this intriguing Bundesliga clash.

VfB Stuttgart

Stuttgart returns to Bundesliga action after a commendable performance in the UEFA Champions League, marking their first appearance since the 2009/10 season. Despite a 3-1 loss to reigning champions Real Madrid, Sebastian Hoeneß’s men put out a worthy performance.

Currently sitting 10th in the Bundesliga with one win, one draw, and one loss [LDW], Stuttgart will be buoyed by their home advantage. They have gone unbeaten in their last 13 Bundesliga home games [9W, 4D, 0L], a feat they haven't achieved in 15 years.

This remarkable home form is reminiscent of their run between September 2006 and September 2007 under Armin Veh, which led to their most recent Bundesliga title. An eye-catching headline ahead of Sunday’s clash is Stuttgart's last season dominance over Dortmund, where they won all three competitive meetings.

Sebastian Hoeneß became the first Stuttgart coach since Christoph Daum [1992-1993] to record three consecutive victories over Borussia Dortmund. Despite their recent struggles, Stuttgart can find encouragement in their impressive goal-scoring average of 4.5 goals per game this season.

Manager Hoeneß is likely to maintain last weekend’s 4—4—2 formation, with Enzo Millot and Deniz Undav leading the attack. Leonidas Stergiou is close to returning to full fitness, while Justin Diehl remains sidelined.

Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund are brimming with confidence after a commanding 3-0 victory over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League. Reflecting on their win, Şahin emphasized the importance of starting strong in difficult away fixtures. He noted, ‘It was a good, attacking match from both teams. In the end, with the changes we had, I think we deserved to win.’

Nuri Şahin’s side remains unbeaten this season with four wins and one draw, including three victories in the Bundesliga. A draw against Werder Bremen and victories over Eintracht Frankfurt and Heidenheim have helped them achieve this unbeaten start for the first time in five seasons.

Despite this strong start, Dortmund have struggled away from home in the Bundesliga, failing to win any of their last three away matches. They have also failed to score in their last two games on the road, representing their longest away goal drought since autumn 2019.

To reverse this trend, Şahin is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation with Serhou Guirassy leading the attack. Giovanni Reyna, out with a muscle strain, is the only notable absentee for the visitors.