VfB Stuttgart will be without several key players for Saturday's Bundesliga clash away to newly-promoted SC Paderborn 07. The 15th-placed side must cope without Al-Dakhil (knee), Jaquez (adductor), Zagadou (thigh), and Nartey (muscle issues) for the 3:30 pm kick-off at the Home Deluxe Arena. These absences compound defensive worries for a team that has conceded nine goals in its first four league matches.
Despite a resounding 5-0 home win over Greuther Fürth last time out, Stuttgart has just three points from four games. The upcoming fixture against 12th-placed Paderborn presents an opportunity to extend a two-game winning streak and create distance from the relegation zone. The team's recent form of three wins from its last five matches offers a foundation of confidence.
Paderborn will also be missing players, with Timur Gayret out with an ACL injury and Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant suffering a setback in his recovery. Their coach, Ralf Kettemann, struck an optimistic note in the build-up. "We had two incredible training sessions on Monday and Tuesday," said the Paderborn boss. "They were the best of this season."
For Stuttgart, matchday five is a key test to solidify its recent improvement. A look at the upcoming fixtures highlights the importance of this encounter. The current standings show how urgently VfB needs points to pull away from the bottom. The match in Paderborn kicks off at 3:30 pm on Saturday.
The report in full is at welt.de
