VfB Stuttgart vs. Mainz: probable teams, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Japan international Endo returns to Stuttgart from the World Cup to meet his third club coach of the season after Labbadia's appointment over the winter break. The 56-year-old returns for his second stint at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, taking over from Michael Wimmer, who was in temporary charge after the dismissal of Pellegrino Matarazzo. The experienced Labbadia takes the reins with VfB in the relegation play-off spot, only a point outside the automatic drop zone. However, Stuttgart did win their last three home games of 2022 - their only victories all campaign - but ended a calendar year without an away victory for the first time ever in the Bundesliga. There are no new faces or departures thus far over the January transfer window, but attacking left-back Borna Sosa and central defender Dan-Axel Zagadou miss out on the restart through injury. It remains to be seen whether Labbadia opts for a back three or four after his predecessors flipped between the two trying to find the right balance.

Mainz started the season strongly and were floating around the European spots, but they managed just one point from their final four games of 2022 after a 5-0 thumping of Cologne to slip from sixth to 10th over the break. That Cologne victory was their sole three points on home turf, with Bo Svensson's side turning into a team doing better on their travels. They make the trip south five points better off than their opponents, meaning a slip could easily drag the 05ers into a relegation scrap. Centre-back Stefan Bell is suspended, while last season's top scorer Jonathan Burkardt is out with a knee problem after finally opening his account in the 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the last game of the year. Karim Onisiwo will continue to lead the line with Marcus Ingvartsen, who combined have eight of Mainz's 19 league goals in 2022/23. Midfielder Anton Stach is a doubt with a toe problem. Andreas Hanche-Olsen is the only January arrival and could be given his debut.

Match stats

Endo won more challenges than any other Bundesliga player last season (476). He's fifth in the current charts (181).

Stuttgart are four games unbeaten against Mainz, winning three before a 0-0 draw in Mainz last term.

This fixture has never ended goalless at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, while Mainz have always conceded at least once in Stuttgart.

Burkardt scored his first goal of the season in the final game before the winter break, having last scored at the end of April against Bayern Munich.

Mainz have picked up 12 points on their travels so far this season. Only Bayern (17), Frankfurt and Freiburg (14) have more.

The 05ers have started the past three calendar years with a defeat. The last time they won their first game after the winter break was in January 2019 - a 3-2 victory at Stuttgart.

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Probable teams

Stuttgart: Müller - Vagnoman, Anton, Mavropanos, Ito - Ahamada, Endo (c), Millot - Silas, Guirassy, Tomas

Out: Sosa (muscular), Ulrich (ill), Zagadou (ankle)

Doubtful: Führich (match fitness)

Coach: Bruno Labbadia

Mainz: Zentner - Fernandes, Hack, Caci - Widmer (c), Barreiro, Kohr, Martin - Lee - Onisiwo, Ingvartsen

Out: Bell (suspended), Burgzorg (ankle), Burkardt (knee), Leitsch (fatigue), Mustapha (operation)

Doubtful: Stach (toe)

Coach: Bo Svensson

About the clubs 1. FSV Mainz 05

MEWA ARENA

VfB Stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz Arena

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