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Nmecha has a team-high five Bundesliga goals this season, averaging one every 159 minutes, but hasn't scored in two. Wolfsburg have lost to Borussia Dortmund and Mainz in that time, and have collected just one point from their last three, slipping to eighth in the table as a result. Recovery rates after an intense UEFA Champions Leaguee game against Lille will be factored into Florian Kohfeldt's team selection, but full-back William, Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager and Swiss striker Admir Mehmedi are definitely out.
After a tough couple of months, Stuttgart made it two matches unbeaten when they drew 2-2 with Hertha Berlin last weekend. Pellegrino Matarazzo will feel it should have been back-to-back Bundesliga wins, however, after watching his side move into a two-goal lead after 20 minutes. Perhaps they might have held on had Roberto Massimo not had to be substituted at half-time after complaining of feeling unwell. Alexis Tbidi was praised by Matarazzo for his impact after coming on, and the French teenager could well get his first Bundesliga start if Massimo doesn't recover. Starting Matchday 15 just a point above the relegation zone, the visitors will look once again look to exciting Egyptian Omar Marmoush to help lift them up the table.
Match stats
Wout Weghorst also has five Bundesliga goals this season, at an average of one every 203 minutes.
The Wolves are unbeaten in their last 13 home league matches against Stuttgart (W11, D2), dating all the way back to December 2005.
Wolfsburg are without victory in their last five competitive matches, following wins in each of Kohfeldt's first three games at the helm.
Stuttgart's Konstantinos Mavropanos celebrates his 24th birthday on the day of the game. He has won a greater percentage of all his challenges (69.4) than any other player in the Bundesliga in 2021/22.
Borna Sosa is third in the league for crosses from open play with 57, only behind Eintracht Frankfurt's Filip Kostic (81) and Hoffenheim's David Raum (64).
Stuttgart are yet to win away from home this season (D3, L3).
Probable line-ups
Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Lacroix, Guilavogui, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold, Otavio - L. Nmecha, Weghorst, Lukebakio
Out: Mehmedi (muscular), Schlager (knee), William (knee)
Doubtful: Roussillon (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt
Stuttgart: Müller - Mavropanos, Anton, Ito - Massimo, Endo (c), Karazor, Mangala, Sosa - Förster, Marmoush
Out: Bredlow (thigh), Führich (not included), Kalajdzic (shoulder), Millot (knee), Sankoh (knee), Thommy (pelvis)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo