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VfB Stuttgart vs. RB Leipzig
This coming weekend, the weakest away team in the Bundesliga, leaving Greuther Fürth aside, will be working on getting their first win away from home. We are talking about RB Leipzig. In eight away games so far, the Bullen have only managed to pick up four points. On Saturday, they can almost double their tally with a win at VFB Stuttgart. Kick-off in front of an empty crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Arena is at 15:30.
The opponent for the Saxons’ venture could hardly be more suitable. The Bullen are still unbeaten against the VFB in their short club history. They have won six of the seven meetings. This was also the case on Matchday 2 this season. They gave the Swabians no chance in a commanding 4-0 victory. Find out whether we think Leipzig will win the second leg and what other predictions we have for this match in our Stuttgart vs Leipzig tip.
Stuttgart – Leipzig info
– Date & Time: 15.01.2022, at 15:30 hrs.
– Venue: Stuttgart, Mercedes-Benz Arena
– Competition: Bundesliga, 19th matchday
– TV broadcast: DAZN
Stuttgart Form & Balance Check
VfB Stuttgart started the second half of the Bundesliga with a nil draw at Fürth last Saturday. Despite conceding 17 goals, the Swabians failed to break the worst defensive record in the Bundesliga (49 goals conceded). They thus remained without a goal of their own for the third time in a row. The last two games before the winter break were a 5-0 loss to FC Bayern München and a 1-0 defeat to 1. FC Köln. The return of Sasa Kalajdzic (16 goals in the last Bundesliga season) gives hope that at least the goal drought will end against the Bullen.
Silas also set for return
Against RB Leipzig, Stuttgart’s best player from last season is set to make his comeback. In the 2020/21 season, Silas Katompa Mvumpa scored 13 goals in 27 competitive matches, set up five others and provided many highlight scenes. After rupturing his cruciate ligament, the 23-year-old has only made five short appearances so far this season before being ruled out at the end of the second half of the season with a corona infection. VfB, on the other hand, will have to do without Konstantinos Mavropanos, Erik Tommy, Mateo Klimowicz, Daniel Didavi and Omar Marmoush.
Stuttgart analysis & Facts
– Three league games in a row without scoring a goal of their own.
– won one of last five home games (2 draws & 2 defeats)
– conceded a total of one goal in last two league matches
Leipzig form & balance check
Unlike Stuttgart, RB Leipzig won their game to open the second half of the season with a commanding 4:1 victory over Mainz. The Saxons were thus able to counteract the downward trend that crept in at the end of the second half of the season. Nevertheless, the record of the last few games reads poorly for the time being. Of their last six league games before the winter break, the Saxons could only win against Borussia Mönchengladbach (4:1). They lost against TSG Hoffenheim (0:2), Bayer Leverkusen (1:3), Union Berlin (1:2) and Arminia Bielefeld (0:2). RB drew 1-1 with FC Augsburg in mid-December.
Nkunku excels, Silva gets going
Two players in particular give hope for a successful second half of the season for the team currently ninth in the table. Christopher Nkunku (already 16 goals & 12 assists in 26 matches this season) was in excellent form in Mainz with three goals (1T & 2V). Andre Silva is also gradually finding his way back to the scoring touch he already demonstrated in Frankfurt. The Portuguese scored a total of five goals in the last six league games.
Leipzig facts & analysis
– still without a win away from home in the Bundesliga (4 draws & 4 defeats).
– conceded at least one goal in eleven league games in a row
– two wins in last seven Bundesliga matches (1 draw & 4 defeats)
Predicted line-up – last updated on 13 January 2022
Against the Swabians, we expect RB Leipzig, after the strong performance at the start of the Rückrunde against Mainz, without great changes in the starting eleven. Only Christopher Nkunku, who was involved in three goals after coming on as a substitute against Mainz, is likely to rotate into the first eleven for Yussuf Poulsen.
We don’t expect any major changes in Stuttgart’s starting eleven compared to the last game either. However, this is more due to the long injury list of the Swabians than to the performances of the players against Greuther Fürth. After surviving the Corona infection, Silas Katompa Mvumpa is likely to start in place of Roberto Massimo.
Stuttgart – Leipzig direct comparison & Statistics
The first meeting on matchday 2 this season was won by RB 4-0 in Leipzig. Goal scorers were Dominik Szoboszlai (38′, 52′), Emil Forsberg (46′) and Andre Silva (65′). But the overall record between the two clubs is also clearly in favour of RB Leipzig. Of seven meetings, the Saxons have won six. One match ended in a draw. The goal difference is 13:1 from the Bulls’ point of view.
– RB Leipzig have never lost against VFB Stuttgart.
– RB Leipzig have not won an away game this season.
– Stuttgart have failed to score in three league games in a row
– Stuttgart have the fourth worst defence in the Bundesliga with 31 goals conceded
