Stuttgart vs Dortmund – News and Probable Lineups

Borussia Dortmund’s flawless beginning to the Bundesliga campaign faces a test this Saturday as they visit Stuttgart at MHPArena.

BVB currently sit second in the league table, accumulating nine points from three matches, with goal difference separating them from the top spot. In contrast, the home team is struggling in 14th place with just three points to their name.

Match overview

Stuttgart has experienced a challenging start to the 2026-27 season, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Hoffenheim on September 12, where they squandered four out of five significant scoring opportunities.

Die Roten are still generating chances at an impressive rate in the attacking third – they have scored three goals in three different matches across all competitions this season – but their defensive frailties have been apparent.

Of the nine goals conceded this season by the hosts, five have come in a heavy 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening match, and the only time they managed to keep a clean sheet was during a 4-0 victory in the DFB-Pokal against Hansa Rostock on August 21.

Head coach Sebastian Hoeness has steered his team to three wins in their first five matches, though he has won just twice in his last seven Bundesliga outings, with two defeats.

Stuttgart has been victorious in both their home fixtures at MHPArena this season, winning by a combined score of 7-2, and they have triumphed in five of their last six matches at home without tasting defeat.

On the other hand, Dortmund had to work hard for their three points against newly-promoted Paderborn on September 12, winning 3-0, but they only managed to find the net for the second time in the 80th minute after scoring their first goal in the fifth minute.

Niko Kovac’s team has now secured victories in all five of their matches since their Supercup final loss to Bayern Munich on August 22, managing to keep three clean sheets while scoring a total of 16 goals.

Historically, BVB’s record against Stuttgart has not been particularly impressive, having only won once in their last eight encounters with Die Roten, losing five of those matches. However, that sole win was a 2-0 victory in April.

The significance of securing a win this weekend cannot be overstated, as Stuttgart poses a challenging opposition. Dortmund has previously dropped points against struggling sides, which has allowed Bayern to take advantage during title races in earlier seasons.

This season, Dortmund has won both away matches, and achieving another victory this weekend would mark their fourth consecutive win on the road.

Team News

Stuttgart’s sluggish start to the 2026-27 campaign can be partly attributed to an injury crisis, with as many as eight players potentially unavailable this weekend.

The injury problems have primarily affected their attacking options, while the absence of Dan-Axel Zagadou is likely to result in Finn Jeltsch, Jeff Chabot, and Maximilian Mittelstadt forming a three-man defence.

Stuttgart’s main attacking threat remains Deniz Undav, who will be hoping that fellow forwards Bilal El Khannouss and Dzenan Pejcinovic can match his form.

For Borussia Dortmund, good news comes in the form of teenage forward Konstantinos Karetsas, who is set to return to the squad following issues related to circulation, although he is unlikely to start in front of Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Silva.

Centre-backs Emre Can and Filippo Mane are still sidelined with injuries, but Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Joane Gadou are fit to play.

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Bredlow; Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Vagnoman, Promel, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, El Khannouss; Pejcinovic

Borussia Dortmund probable starting XI:

Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Gadou; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Nwaneri, Silva; Guirassy

Dortmund’s defensive strength will be put to the test this weekend, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they struggled to keep a clean sheet.

This season, Stuttgart has appeared disjointed without possession, and unless they improve their defensive solidity, it’s hard to envision them taking anything from their match against BVB.