Dortmund back in BL after UCL win over Brugge.

Stuttgart vs. Dortmund kicks off at 16:30 [GMT+1] on Sunday, September 22 at the MHPArena.

Stuttgart returns to Bundesliga action after a commendable performance in the UEFA Champions League, where they made their first appearance since the 2009/10 season. Despite a 3-1 loss to reigning champions Real Madrid, Sebastian Hoeneß’s men put out a worthy performance. Now sitting 10th in the Bundesliga with one win, one draw, and one loss [LDW], Stuttgart will be buoyed by their home advantage, having gone unbeaten in their last 13 Bundesliga home games [9W, 4D, 0L], a record they haven't achieved in 15 years. This remarkable home form is reminiscent of their run between September 2006 and September 2007 under Armin Veh, which led to their most recent Bundesliga title. An eye-catching headline ahead of Sunday’s clash is Stuttgart's last season dominance over Dortmund, where they won all three competitive meetings. Sebastian Hoeneß became the first Stuttgart coach since Christoph Daum [1992-1993] to record three consecutive victories over Borussia Dortmund. Despite their recent struggles, Stuttgart can find encouragement in their impressive goal-scoring average of 4.5 goals per game this season. Manager Hoeneß is likely to maintain last weekend’s 4—4—2 formation, with Enzo Millot and Deniz Undav leading the attack. Leonidas Stergiou is close to returning to full fitness, while Justin Diehl remains sidelined.

Dortmund, on the other hand, are brimming with confidence after a commanding 3-0 victory over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League. Reflecting on their Champions League win, Şahin emphasized the importance of starting strong in a difficult away fixture, noting, ‘It was a good, attacking match from both teams. In the end, with the changes we had, I think we deserved to win,’ he added. Nuri Şahin’s side remains unbeaten this season [4W, 1D, 0L], with three of those results coming in the Bundesliga. A draw against Werder Bremen and victories over Eintracht Frankfurt and Heidenheim helped them remain unbeaten through their opening four fixtures for the first time in five seasons. Despite their strong start to the season, Dortmund have struggled away from home in the Bundesliga, failing to win any of their last three away matches [0W, 1D, 2L]. They have also failed to score in their last two games on the road. This represents their longest away goal drought since the autumn of 2019. To reverse the trend, Şahin is expected to deploy a 4—2—3—1 formation with Serhou Guirassy leading the attack. Giovanni Reyna, out with a muscle strain, is the only notable absentee for the visitors.