Stuttgart vs Borussia Dortmund - prediction, team news, lineups

Borussia Dortmund's perfect start to the Bundesliga season will be under threat on Saturday, when they take on hosts Stuttgart at MHPArena.

BVB are second with nine points from three matchweeks, with goal difference keeping them from first place, whereas the home side find themselves in 14th with just three points.

Stuttgart have endured a difficult start to 2026-27, with their latest result a 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim on September 12, a clash in which they missed four of their five big chances.

Die Roten are still creating at a strong rate in the final third - they have netted at least three goals three times in all competitions this term - but they have been vulnerable at the back.

While five of the nine goals the hosts have conceded this season came in a 5-1 loss against Bayern Munich in matchweek one, their only clean sheet in their five games in 2026-27 was in a 4-0 DFB-Pokal success against Hansa Rostock on August 21.

Manager Sebastian Hoeness has guided his side to three wins in their five matches so far, though he has only experienced two victories in his last seven Bundesliga fixtures, losing twice.

Stuttgart have won both of their two outings at MHPArena this term by an aggregate scoreline of 7-2, and they have triumphed in five of their past six matches at the ground while remaining unbeaten.

Dortmund were made to work for their three points against newly-promoted Paderborn on September 12, as while they won 3-0, it took them until the 80th minute to net their second after opening the scoring in the fifth minute.

Niko Kovac's side have now won all five of their contests since losing the Supercup final to Bayern Munich on August 22, keeping three clean sheets and scoring on 16 occasions.

BVB's record against their hosts is not strong considering they have only emerged as victors once in their past eight meetings with Die Roten - they lost five of those matchups - though that victory was a 2-0 success in April.

The importance of winning on the weekend should not be understated, as while Stuttgart will be a difficult test, Dortmund have too often dropped points against struggling opponents, allowing Bayern to capitalise during title races in past years.

Dortmund have won all two of their away games this season, and another win on the weekend would be their fourth in a row on the road.

Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions):

Stuttgart's slow start to 2026-27 can partly be explained by the fact they have been dealing with somewhat of an injury crisis, and up to eight players may miss out this weekend.

The hosts' injury woes have largely impacted their attacking options, though the absence of Dan-Axel Zagadou means that Finn Jeltsch, Jeff Chabot and Maximilian Mittelstadt will likely play in a three-man defence.

Deniz Undav remains Stuttgart's main attacking threat, and he will hope that fellow forwards Bilal El Khannouss and Dzenan Pejcinovic can match his level.

The good news for Borussia Dortmund is that teenage forward Konstantinos Karetsas is set to be included in their squad following circulatory problems, though he will almost certainly not be in the XI ahead of Ethan Nwaneri and Fabio Silva.

Centre-backs Emre Can and Filippo Mane remain injured, though Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck and Joane Gadou are fit to feature.

Bredlow; Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Vagnoman, Promel, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, El Khannouss; Pejcinovic

Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:

Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Gadou; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Nwaneri, Silva; Guirassy

Dortmund's defensive resolve will be tested on the weekend, and it would not be surprising if they failed to keep a clean sheet.

Stuttgart have looked disjointed without the ball this season, and unless they address their frailty, it is difficult to see the hosts taking anything from their clash with BVB.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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