Preview: Stuttgart vs. Hoffenheim - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts' poor form continued into a fifth successive week against Bochum, whilst their opponents arrive on the high of a 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg.

Match preview

Stuttgart have not started this campaign strongly, taking just four points from their opening five Bundesliga matches - half as many as they accumulated during the same period last season.

Their sixth game did not improve on the situation, as they were held to a 0-0 stalemate by newly promoted Bochum, who are struggling down in the relegation zone, on Sunday.

Neither side were able to kickstart their season with a much-needed win, instead settling for a point apiece after a battling draw in which Konstantinos Mavropanos had a goal ruled out for a handball.

Pellegrino Matarazzo made the perfect start to his second season of Bundesliga football, masterminding a 5-1 thrashing of Greuther Furth in the season-opener, but has seen his side struggle to three draws and two defeats since.

The disappointing 0-0 with Bochum at least presented a first clean sheet of the campaign, but his side will need to do more to move up the table and must urgently improve their home form, having not won on their own turf since May.

Similarly to their opponents, a 4-0 hammering of Augsburg in the opening match is something of a distant memory for Hoffenheim and manager Sebastian Hoeness.

Die Kraichgauer followed that up with just two points from their next four games - three of which they would have considered winnable - and looked to be heading on a similar trajectory to their disappointing 11th-placed finish in 2020-21.

The European hopefuls bounced back in style last weekend, though, ending Wolfsburg's unbeaten start to the league season.

It was the Wolves who opened the scoring, but Andrej Kramaric notched his first of the season to equalise late in the first half, before Christoph Baumgartner and Pavel Kaderabek made it 3-1 late in the second to seal an impressive victory.

Hoeness will hope that result can provide some belief to his side and propel them back towards the European spots where they feel they belong.

Stuttgart Bundesliga form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:

Team News

Stuttgart have a fair few injury problems - star striker Sasa Kalajdzic remains out with a shoulder injury, Lilian Egloff and Momo Cisse are also out with ankle issues, whilst Silas Katompa Mvumpa and Mohamed Sankoh are long-term absences.

The onus will therefore be on the likes of Borna Sosa and Wolfsburg loanee Omar Marmoush to produce the goods at the attacking end of the pitch.

Midfielder Philipp Forster will also be absent this weekend, after having tested positive for COVID-19.

Their opponents are not without their own list of setbacks, though, with Havard Nordtveit, Ermin Bicakcic and Benjamin Hubner all still unavailable, whilst Angelo Stiller and Sebastian Rudy are listed as doubts.

If those two doubts prove to be absences, it could increase Jacob Bruun Larsen's chances of being reinstated on the left-hand side.

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Muller; Mavropanos, Anton, Kempf; Massimo, Mangala, Endo, Sosa; Klimowicz, Marmoush; Al Ghaddioui

Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:

Baumann; Kaderabek, Richards, Vogt, Raum; Baumgartner, Samassekou, Grillitsch, Bruun Larsen; Bebou, Kramaric

We say: Stuttgart 2-2 Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim are not generally the best on the road - having won just two of their last 14 games on their travels - but will come into the game with more confidence than their hosts.

We see a draw as the most likely outcome here, with a few goals likely along the way.