Stuttgart vs. Hoffenheim preview: Die Schwaben looking to extend unbeaten run
Stuttgart
After losing to Freiburg on matchday one, Stuttgart have bounced back to take eight points from four matches. They played out a 3-3 draw with Mainz in their opening home game, before they recorded back-to-back victories over Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.
Although they were unable to claim another victory last weekend, they showed great character to come from behind on two occasions to take a point off Wolfsburg. Enzo Millot levelled the scoreline following Jonas Wind’s opener, before Deniz Undav netted a 97th-minute equaliser to cancel out Mohamed Amoura’s effort.
Stuttgart were involved in another draw in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Sparta Prague. The Bundesliga side ultimately had to be content with a point after Millot’s opener was cancelled out by Kaan Kairinen. Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeneß will hope his team can return to winning ways in Sunday’s meeting against his former club Hoffenheim. Die Schwaben did claim a 3-0 away win in their most recent head-to-head encounter. However, they have taken just a point from their last two home games against Hoffenheim.
Team News
Stuttgart are expected to be without Dan-Axel Zagadou, Nikolas Nartey, Justin Diehl and Leonidas Stergiou, while Josha Vagnoman is a doubt for Sunday’s fixture.
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim will head into Sunday’s fixture in the relegation playoff spot after winning just one of their opening five league games. The solitary victory took place on matchday one when Hoffenheim edged out Holstein Kiel via a 3-2 scoreline. Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side have failed to build upon that result, having gone on to lose against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Union Berlin and Werder Bremen.
They would have been particularly disappointed to take nothing from last Sunday’s home clash with Bremen. Marius Bülter scored a brace before Adam Hložek added a third to give Hoffenheim a three-goal lead inside 12 minutes. However, the tide turned when Stanley Nsoki was dismissed just six minutes later. After being reduced to ten men, Hoffenheim were unable to stop Bremen from mounting an incredible turnaround to claim a 4-3 victory and condemn die Kraichgauer to another defeat.
Having seen his side concede 15 goals in five league games, Matarazzo would have been pleased to see his team keep a clean sheet in Thursday’s Europa League home clash with Dynamo Kyiv. Hložek netted a brace to fire Hoffeinheim to just their second competitive win of the season. They will be looking to produce another strong display in Sunday’s clash against Matarazzo’s former employers. However, the visitors’ hopes of claiming maximum points will be tempered by the fact they have lost six of their last seven away league games.
Team News
The visitors are unable to call upon Ozan Kabak, Pavel Kaderabek, Dennis Geiger, Grischa Prömel, Finn Ole Becker and Ihlas Bebou. Meanwhile, Nsoki will serve the first match of a two-game suspension after being sent off against Bremen.