Borussia Dortmund commemorates the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the Westfalenstadion by welcoming Stuttgart in a Bundesliga fixture scheduled for Saturday. This match holds significant implications in the pursuit of securing a berth in the Champions League, as both teams currently occupy favorable positions in the competition for a top-four finish. However, it is imperative to note that RB Leipzig stands poised to capitalize on any potential missteps by either team in their quest for European qualification.
Match preview
A significant turn of events unfolded in the recent contest for fourth place over the past weekend, with Borussia Dortmund capitalizing on RB Leipzig’s dropped points to secure a clear advantage.
Following an unexpected 0-0 draw against Mainz at their home ground, Marco Rose’s Dortmund secured a crucial victory over Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker at the Allianz Arena. Goals from Karim Adeyemi and Julian Ryerson propelled them to a three-point lead over Leipzig.
Dortmund’s triumph at the Allianz Arena marked their first league victory at the venue in a decade and extended their winning streak to five consecutive matches across all competitions under Edin Terzic’s leadership.
The upcoming fixture presents BVB with an opportunity to narrow the gap on third-placed Stuttgart and serves as valuable preparation for their upcoming Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
The victory over Bayern reduced the point difference to four, as Stuttgart faltered against Heidenheim, settling for a 3-3 draw despite initially leading 2-0. Despite surrendering a two-goal advantage, Sebastian Hoeness’s team salvaged a point with a 98th-minute goal from Deniz Undav.
Stuttgart missed an opportunity to narrow the gap on Bayern to just one point, leaving Dortmund in close pursuit. The gap between the two teams could potentially be reduced to just one point by the end of the weekend.
With a challenging schedule ahead to conclude the season, Stuttgart must maintain consistency, particularly with matches against Dortmund, Bayern, and Bayer Leverkusen in their final seven games.
Hoeness has orchestrated two victories over Terzic’s Dortmund this season, providing optimism for their Champions League qualification prospects next season. Additionally, past encounters between the two sides have been characterized by high-scoring affairs, setting the stage for an intriguing matchup.
Team News
Ramy Bensebaini’s season has been prematurely concluded following a knee injury sustained while on international duty with Algeria last month. Consequently, Donyell Malen remains sidelined due to an ongoing thigh ailment, rendering him unavailable for the forthcoming fixture.
However, Gregor Kobel, having recovered from a recent stomach ailment, is poised to reassume his position in goal for the hosting team, likely displacing Maximilian Meyer.
Moreover, Marcel Sabitzer is anticipated to make his return for Dortmund following a suspension that saw him miss the victory against his former club in the previous weekend’s match.
On the opposing side, Stuttgart will face the absence of Waldemar Anton, a key defender, who is suspended. Additionally, Dan-Axel Zagadou, a former Dortmund player, is unavailable due to a severe knee injury.
For Stuttgart, Undav and Serhou Guirassy are expected to lead the attacking line. Notably, they recently established a club record for combined league goals by an attacking pair during the draw with Heidenheim. Their cumulative tally of 38 goals surpasses the previous record set by Jurgen Klinsmann and Karl Allgower during the 1985-86 season.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can, Brandt; Sancho, Fullkrug, Bynoe-Gittens
Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Nubel; Vagnoman, Stergiou, Ito, Mittelstadt; Millot, Dahoud, Stiller, Fuhrich; Guirassy, Undav