Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Bundesliga clash between RB Leipzig and Stuttgart, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
One of the most anticipated games of the weekend takes place at the Red Bull Arena this Saturday, as RB Leipzig host VfB Stuttgart in a tasty top three battle.
As two of the Bundesliga’s early pacesetters, expectations are high for a fixture which often tends to deliver plenty of quality, drama and, most importantly, goals.
Match preview
RB Leipzig have certainly come a long way from their 6-0 thumping at the hands of Bayern Munich in their Bundesliga opener last August.
Since that defeat, new head coach Ole Werner has led his men to a nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions – this includes seven victories.
Leipzig underlined their growing confidence last week as they travelled away to Augsburg and produced a 6-0 victory of their own – a win which not only moved them into second place but also kept the gap to Bayern at five points.
Werner’s side continued their momentum in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday, sealing their spot in the third round of the competition thanks to a 4-1 victory away at Energie Cottbus.
Die Roten Bullen will now be looking to end their four-match losing run against VfB Stuttgart – a run which has been ongoing since 2023.
Speaking of Die Schwaben, Sebastian Hoeness and his men are enjoying an exceptional campaign in the Bundesliga, winning six of their eight games and climbing up to third spot.
Stuttgart have a lot on their plate this season as they balance Europa League action with domestic duties, but it does not appear that the extra workload is having an impact on their Bundesliga ambitions.
Trips to FC Basel and Fenerbahce both ended in disappointing losses to nil, though away from their continental travels, Stuttgart have continued to post impressive results on the domestic scene.
Die Schwaben have won their last five Bundesliga outings, including a 2-1 victory over Mainz last weekend – the same team they beat in Wednesday’s DFB Pokal clash.
Their attention now turns to RB Leipzig, as they look to bag a fifth straight victory over Die Roten Bullen.
RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:
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RB Leipzig form (all competitions):
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Stuttgart Bundesliga form:
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Stuttgart form (all competitions):
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Team News
RB Leipzig remain without Benjamin Henrichs, who has been out since December with an Achilles tendon injury.
The 28-year-old defender is unlikely to return before the end of the calendar year, though Werner has managed to deal with his absence rather well so far this season.
Teenager Kosta Nedeljkovic is also out of action as he continues to recover from a knee injury, though his return is expected to come within the next month.
Christoph Baumgartner is undoubtedly the dangerman for Die Roten Bullen, having scored six goals in his last four outings for the club – including a brace on Tuesday against Cottbus.
Stuttgart, on the other hand, are still missing forward Ermedin Demirovic, who has been nursing a foot injury.
Justin Diehl is another forward on the sidelines, with the 20-year-old struggling with an ankle problem.
Captain Deniz Undav will lead the attack on Saturday, as he looks to score in successive Bundesliga matches for the first time in over a year.
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Ouedraogo, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Diomande, Romulo, Nusa
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks; Assignon, Chema, Stiller, Mittelstadt; El Khannouss, Leweling; Undav
We say: RB Leipzig 2-2 Stuttgart
Five previous meetings between these two teams have produced a whopping 25 goals, meaning we could be in for a thrilling affair this weekend.
In terms of picking a winner, this one is too tight to call. While Leipzig will have the home advantage, Stuttgart have proven to be a tough nut to crack. With that in mind, we are leaning towards a competitive draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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