Two of the Bundesliga's early-season pace-setters will clash on Saturday, as RB Leipzig hosts VfB Stuttgart.
RB Leipzig has shown remarkable resilience since suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on opening day. Under the leadership of Ole Werner, who took charge over the summer, the team has gone on a nine-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. This positive run includes seven victories, with the team's confidence boosted by a recent 6-0 win against Augsburg. Leipzig also secured a spot in the DFB-Pokal round of 16 following a 4-1 victory against Energie Cottbus earlier this week.
However, Leipzig has faced challenges against Stuttgart, remaining winless in their encounters since 2023.
In terms of team news, Benjamin Henrichs is out indefinitely due to a long-term Achilles tendon injury, while teenage defender Kosta Nedeljković is sidelined with a knee issue but may return in November. Christoph Baumgartner, who has been in exceptional form with six goals in his last four matches, will be a critical part of Leipzig's attack.
Leipzig's predicted lineup features a 4-3-3 formation: Gulácsi - Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum - Ouedraogo, Seiwald, Baumgartner - Bakayoko, Romulo, Nusa.
VfB Stuttgart arrives in Saxony riding a wave of success, having won six of their eight Bundesliga matches, placing them third in the table. Despite facing inconsistencies in the Europa League, where they suffered losses to Basel and Fenerbahçe, Stuttgart has maintained impressive form in the domestic league. They recently recorded back-to-back wins over Mainz, extending their Bundesliga winning streak to five matches. A victory this weekend would mark their fifth consecutive win over Leipzig, highlighting a significant turnaround in their head-to-head record.
For team news, Ermedin Demirović is out with a foot injury, and Justin Diehl is still recovering from an ankle problem. Nevertheless, Stuttgart has sustained its attacking momentum thanks to Deniz Undav, who is expected to captain the side. The fitness of Tiago Tomas is also noteworthy, as he was substituted shortly before Wednesday's match against Mainz due to a thigh issue.
Stuttgart's predicted lineup includes a 3-4-2-1 structure: Nübel - Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks - Assignon, Chema, Stiller, Mittelstädt - El Khannouss, Tomas - Undav.
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