Borussia Dortmund go head-to-head with Vfb Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with both sides looking to strengthen their position in the race for the top four.
Dortmund are on 61 points from 27 games while Stuttgart sit on 53, eight adrift of the visitors. Sebastian Hoeneß has praised Stuttgart’s home form, while Niko Kovac has underlined Dortmund’s need to deliver over 90 minutes after their comeback win over Hamburg.
VfB Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 4th April
- Kick-off: 5:30pm BST
- Venue: MHP Arena, Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart team news
Stuttgart enters this clash with a relatively stable squad, though manager Sebastian Hoeness still has a few gaps to plug.
The biggest boost comes from the return of Jamie Leweling, who has resumed full team training following a calf injury and is expected to feature in the matchday squad.
However, the hosts remain without former Dortmund defender Dan-Axel Zagadou, who is still sidelined with a muscle injury despite recently returning to light training.
Justin Diehl and Lazar Jovanovic are also unavailable due to their respective fitness issues.
Deniz Undav, who remains in clinical form after an impressive international break with Germany. He is set to lead the line alongside Ermedin Demirović, spearheading a Stuttgart attack that has been remarkably consistent at the MHP Arena this season as they look to leapfrog their rivals in the standings.
Borussia Dortmund team news
Borussia Dortmund heads south facing a significant selection crisis in the heart of their midfield.
Manager Niko Kovac will be without captain Emre Can, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a cruciate ligament rupture.
Felix Nmecha is out until May due to a lateral knee ligament injury. These absences leave a void likely to be filled by Jobe Bellingham and Carney Chukwuemeka alongside the experienced Marcel Sabitzer.
Defensively, Filippo Mané is nearing a return but is not yet fit for selection, meaning the backline will rely on Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck.
In the attack, Serhou Guirassy returns to face his former club. He is expected to start up front supported by the pace of Karim Adeyemi and Maximilian Beier, as Dortmund aims to defend their second-place position in a hostile away environment.
Form
VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart arrive in strong shape after a 5-2 away win over Augsburg, a result that moved them back into third place. Their home record has been a major strength this season, and Hoeness believes the team’s cohesion and attacking structure are now showing clearly on the pitch. The Swabians have already surpassed their previous season’s points total and are pushing hard to stay in the Champions League places.
Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund have been one of the Bundesliga’s best-performing sides in recent weeks, and their victory over Hamburg was their 18th league win of the season. Kovac has pointed to the need for full concentration against a Stuttgart side that has already beaten their previous season’s points total. The visitors know a strong result in Stuttgart will certainly help them in the top-four battle.
Predicted lineups
VfB Stuttgart: Nubel; Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks; Leweling, Karazor, Stiller, Fuhrich; El Khannouss; Demirovic, Undav
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Reggiani, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Sabitzer, Svensson; Adeyemi, Guirassy, Beier
How to watch VfB Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund?
UK fans can watch VfB Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund live on Sky Sports Football, with streaming available via Sky Go.
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