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

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Marmoush has missed Stuttgart's last four in the Bundesliga with a foot injury, but is expected to go straight back into the side on Matchday 13. The Wolfsburg loanee was enjoying a five-match run in the starting line-up, comprising a goal and two assists, and also produced one of each across his first two senior outings for Egypt during the October international break. In his absence, injury-hit VfB have drawn one and suffered three successive defeats, slipping into the relegation play-off spot as a result. Influential centre-back Marc-Oliver Kempf is still a doubt, while Tanguy Coulibaly serves a mandatory one-match ban after collecting a fifth booking of the season in last weekend's 2-1 loss at Borussia Dortmund.

Eighth-placed Mainz are in much finer fettle, thanks in no small part to the goalscoring form of Burkardt. The Germany U21 international struck for the fifth time in as many games last time out as the 05ers extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a 1-1 draw at home to Cologne. Only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has a better record across that period (six goals), while Mainz have lost just one of five league assignments so far this term involving a Burkardt goal. Not for the first time, Mainz's star striker was furnished by Karim Onisiwo, who ranks as the club's top provider in 2021/22 with five assists. Leandro Barreiro could come into the midfield in place of Dominik Kohr, who's carrying a knock, while David Nemeth is set to fill in for suspended defender Stefan Bell.

Match stats

Defenders Konstantinos Mavropanos and Kempf are the home side's leading scorers in the Bundesliga this season with three goals each.

Stuttgart have won only one of their last 11 Bundesliga games, and are in the bottom three for the first time since returning to the top flight in 2020.

The Swabians beat Mainz home and away last season (2-0, 4-1).

Burkardt is Mainz's six-goal top scorer so far this term.

Mainz are currently four games unbeaten (2W, 2D). No team presently has a longer run without defeat in the Bundesliga.

The 05ers have won on three of their last six visits to Stuttgart.

Probable line-ups

Stuttgart: Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Ito - Karazor - Massimo, Endo (c), Mangala, Sosa - Förster - Marmoush

Out: Coulibaly (suspended), Kalajdzic (shoulder), Millot (knee), Thommy (pelvis)

Doubtful: Ahamada (Achilles), Kempf (thigh)

Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Mainz: Zentner - Nemeth, Hack, Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Lee, Barreiro, Boetius, Martin - Onisiwo, Burkardt

Out: Bell (suspended), Kohr (thigh), Lucoqui (knee), St. Juste (shoulder)

Doubtful: Tauer (knee)

Coach: Bo Svensson