Third faces fourth in an intriguing Bundesliga contest on Saturday afternoon as Stuttgart play host to RB Leipzig at the MHPArena.
At the halfway stage, just one point separates these two teams, who enter this fixture on the back of successive league defeats.
Match preview
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Since winning four successive games between November 11 and December 6, Stuttgart have seen their audacious title hopes slip away and they are now clinging on to a top-four spot having won just one of their last five Bundesliga matches.
Six days after losing 3-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach in their first game of 2024, Die Roten were beaten 1-0 away against VfL Bochum last weekend, with Matus Bero scoring what proved to be the match-winner just five minutes into the second half.
Sebastian Hoeness's side have now suffered as many defeats (three) in their last four matches as in their first 14 Bundesliga games of the season, and not only have they slipped 10 points behind Bayern Munich in second, they are only one point ahead of both Leipzig in fourth and Borussia Dortmund in fifth at the halfway stage.
Stuttgart enter Saturday's contest having won seven of their first nine Bundesliga home matches this season, scoring 26 goals and conceding only seven, while they have only lost one of their lase 13 league games at the MHPArena under Hoeness.
However, success against Leipzig could prove challenging as they have not won any of their previous 11 top-flight meetings with Die Roten Bullen, losing nine and drawing two by an aggregate score of 23-4; Stuttgart have not faced another Bundesliga team as often without winning.
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After ending 2023 on a high with five victories and a draw, Leipzig have since made a disappointing start to the New Year as they have lost back-to-back home matches against Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, suffering a 3-2 defeat to the latter last weekend.
Die Roten Bullen were leading twice against table-toppers Leverkusen thanks to goals either side of half time from Xavi Simons and Lois Openda, but the visitors fought back to restore parity before snatching all three points courtesy of a 91st-minute strike from Piero Hincapie.
Marco Rose's men, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season, are now hanging onto fourth spot by a thread as they sit level on points with fifth-placed Dortmund at the halfway stage, while Frankfurt sit five points further back in sixth.
Rose will personally have confidence in turning Leipzig's fortunes around and leading the club to victory on Saturday, as he has won five of his last seven meetings with Stuttgart as a manager; the 47-year-old has also never tasted defeat in his previous three visits to the MHPArena.
Leipzig head into Saturday's contest having only won two of their last seven away games in all competitions, but Die Roten Bullen will reminisce about their thumping 5-1 victory over Stuttgart in the reverse fixture back in August last year.
Team News
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Stuttgart duo Lilian Egloff and Nikolas Nartey are sidelined with knee injuries, while Serhou Guirassy, Silas Katompa Mvumpa, Hiroki Ito and Jeong Woo-yeong are all away on international duty – the former two are at the Africa Cup of Nations and the latter two are at the Asian Cup.
Atakan Karazor is also unavailable for selection through suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards, so either Enzo Millot or Roberto Massimo could slot into a deeper midfield role alongside Angelo Stiller.
Deniz Undav has scored just once in his last six appearances but he is expected to continue up front in the absence of Guirassy, with wingers Jamie Leweling and Chris Fuhrich set to provide support in attack.
As for Leipzig, Willi Orban has recently taken part in team training sessions after recovering from a knee injury, but Saturday's game may come too soon for the defender.
Amadou Haidara is away on international duty with Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Leipzig will also have to cope without star attacker Xavi Simons, who is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend.
The absence of Simons will likely see Christoph Baumgartner recalled to start in an advanced midfield role alongside Dani Olmo, while striker Yussuf Poulsen will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI at the expense of Benjamin Sesko.
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Anton, Zagadou, Mittelstadt; Massimo, Stiller; Leweling, Millot, Fuhrich; Undav
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Blaswich; Henrichs, Klostermann, Lukeba, Raum; Baumgartner, Schlager, Kampl, Olmo; Poulsen, Openda
We say: Stuttgart 1-2 RB Leipzig
A closely-contested top-four encounter between two teams desperate to return to winning ways could be on the cards this weekend, and although Stuttgart boast the home advantage, Leipzig have had far more success in this fixture over the years.
Both teams will not be at full-strength here, but we believe that Leipzig have enough quality at their disposal to claim maximum points against a Stuttgart side who have lost all four matches without the presence of leading marksman Guirassy this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
