VfB Stuttgart faces a tough goalkeeper decision for Saturday's away match at SC Paderborn. Dennis Seimen is available again after injury and could make his Bundesliga debut at his former loan club at 15:30.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß must choose between the returning 20-year-old and Fabian Bredlow, who played the first six competitive matches of the season. The club currently sits 15th in the Bundesliga with three points and is looking for a third consecutive win against the team in 12th place. Recent form reads WWLLW, showing an upward trend.
Hildebrand's clear recommendation
The choice is not an easy one, as 2007 title-winning goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand admitted. "This decision would be difficult for me too," said the 47-year-old. Nevertheless, he has a clear preference. "I think I would put Dennis in goal. Simply because the club had designated him as number one before the season."
Seimen suffered a thigh muscle injury shortly before the season started, after returning from Paderborn and being tasked with filling the void left by Alexander Nübel's summer departure. Bredlow took his chance and guarded the net in the first four league games, which yielded just one win and three defeats.
Pressure before Paderborn clash
The match in Paderborn gains significance in this context. An away win could maintain the momentum from the last two home victories, a 3-0 win over Heidenheim and a 5-0 thrashing of Fürth. Striker Deniz Undav scored twice in that friendly, providing an additional boost to the attack.
The team is under pressure to continue the positive run before heading to Bratislava for a Champions League match on Wednesday at 21:00. The current league standings and all upcoming fixtures are on our fixtures page. Hoeneß's decision in the goalkeeper debate will be revealed in Saturday's team sheet.
The report in full is at sport.de
