VfB Stuttgart vs. RB Leipzig preview: Crucial scrap for Champions League spot
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VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig will go head-to-head on Sunday night in a key fixture for the Champions League qualification race. Both teams have 47 points with only nine games left to play in the Bundesliga season.
Following their exit in the league phase last term, they were both out of Europe’s premier competition. However, Stuttgart still have a chance at European glory, despite losing at home against Porto in the first-leg of the Round of 16 Europa League tie.
Ole Werner was under immense pressure following a slow start to 2026, but RB Leipzig won their last two games 2-1 against midtable clubs HSV and Augsburg. Stuttgart dropped two points away at Mainz last time out after conceding an injury-time goal.
As for their head-to-head record, Leipzig ended a four-game losing streak to Sebastian Hoeneß’s side with a hard-fought victory in the reverse fixture. Yan Diomande scored the best goal of the game in a 3-1 scoreline.
However, including last season’s DFB-Pokal semi-final duel, Stuttgart are unbeaten at home in this fixture since 2022. The Swabians lost their last two home encounters in Europe, but they’re unbeaten in front of their spectators in Bundesliga since the 5-0 thumping by the champions-elect Bayern Munich in the first week of December.
Team News
Xavier Schlager is back to full fitness, but Werner will most likely keep his lineup from last week’s win against Augsburg. The hosts have a full squad to choose from as Hoeneß could opt for a few changes ahead of the return leg against the Portuguese giants.
Predicted Lineups
VfB: Nübel; Assignon, Hendriks, Chabot, Mittelstädt; Karazor ©, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, El Khannouss; Demirovic
Leipzig: Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum ©; Seiwald; Gruda, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa
