Stuttgart vs. Union Berlin preview: Hosts searching for first win of the season
Stuttgart will attempt to claim their first league victory of the season when they play host to a Union Berlin side who have enjoyed a sensational start to their Bundesliga campaign.
| Pellegrino Matarazzo. |
Stuttgart
After failing to win any of their opening eight league games, Stuttgart sit in the relegation zone ahead of Sunday's contest. The poor start to the campaign has led to Pellegrino Matarazzo's position as manager to come under scrutiny, with potential suitors being lined up by the Stuttgart hierarchy.
Although five of Stuttgart's eight matches have ended all square, they have lost their previous two games, conceding three goals in both defeats. They looked set to claim a point last weekend when their away meeting with Wolfsburg was level at two goals apiece as the game drifted towards stoppage time. However, a 91st-minute winner from Yannick Gerhardt condemned Stuttgart to a demoralising 3-2 defeat.
Matarazzo is tasked with lifting his players for a home game against a Union side that sit at the top of the Bundesliga table ahead of Sunday's action. The hosts will take little comfort from the fact that they are yet to beat Union in the Bundesliga.
As well as aiming to clinch their first win of the season, Stuttgart will attempt to keep a home clean sheet in the league for the first time since April 2021.
Team News
After being forced off in the defeat to Wolfsburg, Wataru Endo could miss out for the hosts, while an ankle injury is set to prevent Josha Vagnoman from featuring in Sunday's contest.
Union Berlin
Anthony Modeste's late equaliser in Der Klassiker ensured Union remain at the top of the Bundesliga table ahead of Sunday's round of fixtures.
Although they lost for the first time in the league this season last Saturday, Union have enjoyed a memorable start to the campaign. Five league wins has helped Urs Fischer's side collect 17 points - a tally that has only been matched by Freiburg in the first eight matchdays of the Bundesliga season.
Their domestic form had failed to transfer into European action as Union began the Europa League group stage with consecutive defeats. However, they finally got up and running on Thursday, beating Malmo 1-0 in Sweden thanks to Sheraldo Becker's second half strike.
Following the midweek victory, Union will turn their attention to Sunday's away meeting with Stuttgart. The visitors have managed to win two of their four Bundesliga away matches this season and another victory would set them up perfectly for games against Malmo and Borussia Dortmund in the next week.
Team News
Union are expected to be without the services of Tim Maciejewski, Timo Baumgartl and Kevin Möhwald.