Last season's Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart will hope to bounce back from defeat last time out in the league and take all three points when they host newly-promoted Holstein Kiel on Saturday at MHPArena in their eighth league game of the season.
The hosts lost 4-0 against Bayern Munich last Saturday and are in 10th place with just nine points, while the away side are second last in 17th place with two points and lost 2-0 against Union Berlin on October 20.
Match preview
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Stuttgart conceded four second-half goals against Vincent Kompany's Bayern, including three from Harry Kane, and it would be no exaggeration to say they were thoroughly outclassed.
The Bavarians created six big chances and produced 22 shots, 16 of which were from inside the penalty area, while Die Roten only generated one big chance from their four shots.
Boss Sebastian Hoeness said in the aftermath of his side's defeat that he thought his team played fine until around the 60th-minute mark, but he lamented Josha Vagnoman's missed chance in the 54th minute when the score was 0-0.
Hoeness will be pleased that Die Roten managed to overcome the disappointment of their league defeat with a 1-0 win against Juventus in the Champions League on Tuesday, though they only won thanks to El Bilal Toure's 92nd-minute winner.
Die Roten have failed to win their last three Bundesliga matches, conceding seven times and scoring on three occasions, and they have kept no clean sheets in their seven most recent league games.
Though Stuttgart have not started their 2024-25 campaign well, their home record has remained strong considering they are unbeaten in their last 15 top-flight fixtures at MHPArena, winning 10 and drawing five.
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Holstein Kiel come into the clash having lost against Union Berlin despite producing slightly more xG, five shots on target compared to Union's four and one big chance, the same number as their opponents.
Manager Marcel Rapp insisted that his team are not far from picking up their first win, saying that they lost as a result of small details.
The away side have scored nine times and conceded 21 goals in the Bundesliga, and this makes them the division's fourth-worst offensive and worst defensive side.
Holstein Kiel have failed to win any league fixture this term, losing their first three before drawing two and losing two of their next four.
The visitors have only played three away games in the Bundesliga in their history, all of which have taken place this season, and they have drawn two and lost one while conceding seven goals and scoring six times.
Team News
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The hosts will have to contend with the absence of centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou until February 2025 as a result of a knee injury, while defenders Leonidas Stergiou and Nikolas Nartey are doubts.
Forwards Chris Fuhrich and Justin Diehl, as well as midfielder Luca Raimund, are likely to be unavailable until early November.
Stuttgart could name Anthony Rouault and Julian Chabot as centre-backs in the starting XI, while Atakan Karazor and Angelo Stiller are candidates to feature in a double pivot.
Meanwhile, Holstein Kiel will be without defender Colin Kleine-Bekel until later in November, while forwards Andu Yobel Kelati and Alexander Bernhardsson are not scheduled to make their comeback from injury until early next month.
Midfielder Lewis Holtby is also a doubt for Saturday's clash, so expect Armin Gigovic, Magnus Knudsen and Nicolai Remberg to be selected in the middle of the pitch.
Considering Bernhardsson was forced off against Union Berlin due to injury, Benedikt Pichler may be joined in a front two by Shuto Machino.
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Millot, Karazor, Stiller, Leweling; Undav, Demirovic
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Weiner; Becker, Ivezic, Erras, Komenda, Porath; Gigovic, Knudsen, Remberg; Pichler, Machino
We say: Stuttgart 2-1 Holstein Kiel
Given the energy that Stuttgart expended against Juventus, it would not be surprising if they looked somewhat disjointed in the opening stages of the game.
However, it is difficult to look past Holstein Kiel's poor form this season, and the hosts should be strong favourites heading into Saturday's match.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
