Bochum vs. VfB Stuttgart: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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It has been a difficult return to life in the Bundesliga for Bochum, especially after a seven-goal drubbing at the hands of defending champions Bayern Munich last weekend. That defeat leaves Bochum second-bottom of the table with just one win from the opening five games as Thomas Reis looks to build a side capable of staying in the German top-flight. That task wasn't helped with Simon Zoller suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury before the trip to Munich, with defenders Cristian Gamboa and Maxim Leitsch also on the sidelines. Sebastian Polter will continue as the leading man in attack with two from Gerrit Holtmann, Milos Pantovic and Christopher Antwi-Adjei in closest support.

Stuttgart have endured a turbulent start to the season, winning and drawing a game apiece alongside three defeats - the most recent of which came in a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen. In Sasa Kalajdzic's absence, Pellegrino Matarazzo has turned to Marmoush in attack as he goes in search of goals. The summer arrival from Wolfsburg scored on debut, and will look to get back among the goals quickly in order to keep his place in the side ahead of the more experienced Hamadi Al Ghaddioui. Either way, the chances for goals on Saturday are high when the league's two leakiest defences meet.

Match stats

The injured Zoller has been directly involved in all of Bochum's four goals two far this season (two goals, two assists).

Reis played for the Stuttgart youth team in 1989/90.

Bochum have shipped a joint league-high 13 goals after five matches. VfB have conceded 12.

Stuttgart have only won two of six Bundesliga matches not involving Kalajdzic, and five of 19 not involving a Kalajdzic goal.

Only Bayern (95) have fired off more shots on goal than Stuttgart (85) after five rounds of fixtures. Bochum are 17th league-wide with 50.

Stuttgart are unbeaten in eight Bundesliga games against Bochum (W6, D2) - their longest unbowed un against all top-flight opponents.

Probable line-ups

Bochum: Riemann - Stafylidis, Lampropoulos, Bella-Kotchap, Soares - Löwen, Losilla (c), Rexhbecaj - Antwi-Adjei, Polter, Holtmann

Out: Gamboa (elbow), Leitsch (thigh), Zoller (knee)

Doubtful: Asano (groin)

Coach: Thomas Reis

Stuttgart: Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Kempf - Massimo, Mangala, Endo (c), Sosa - Klimowicz, Coulibaly - Marmoush

Out: Ahamada (ankle), Cisse (foot), Egloff (foot), Kalajdzic (shoulder), Sankoh (knee), Silas (unavailable)

Doubtful: Förster (ill)

Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo