Stuttgart will be aiming to move outside of the automatic relegation places by beating FC Koln in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Koln, meanwhile, have not conceded in any of their last three games and could move into the top half of the table with a positive result.

Match preview

Stuttgart's relegation concerns worsened last weekend, with a combination of their 2-1 defeat to Freiburg and Hertha Berlin's 4-1 thrashing of Borussia Monchengladbach seeing Bruno Labbadia's side drop into the automatic relegation places.

Despite taking the lead against their local rivals via Chris Fuhrich's strike on the half-hour mark, two second-half penalties were dispatched by Vincenzo Grifo to condemn Die Schwaben to a third consecutive league defeat.

With Hertha ending their own losing streak in emphatic fashion, Labaddia's side would only move back above them in the table by beating Koln on Saturday, although a draw could be enough by the end of the weekend should Hertha fall to defeat away to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

While Stuttgart remain in the DFB-Pokal after booking their place in the quarter-finals by beating SC Paderborn, all eyes at the club will be firmly set on escaping relegation having only avoided facing a playoff against Hamburger SV last season due to goal difference.

Koln, meanwhile, illustrated their recently-discovered defensive solidity by building on two consecutive goalless draws to impressively dispatch Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 at RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday.

In another low-key encounter involving Steffen Baumgart's side, the Billy Goats were simply the more clinical side on the day, converting three of only five shots on target from both sides combined across the course of the 90 minutes.

The victory came via unlikely goalscorers, too, in the shape of Timo Hubers and a brace from Ellyes Skhiri, showcasing how Koln enjoy spreading the goals around the majority of their team.

After securing Europa Conference League football with a highly respectable seventh-placed finish in Baumgart's first season in charge, the 51-year-old will be aspiring to replicate that position once again this season, with Wolfsburg four points in front of them in that spot ahead of the weekend's action.

Team News

Stuttgart will remain without forwards Serhou Guirassy and Tiago Tomas due to adductor and stomach issues respectively, while Nikolas Nartey's involvement is doubtful due to a similar injury to Guirassy's.

Silas should be fit enough to start after returning from the bench during his side's defeat to Freiburg last weekend, with Gil Dias likely to make way for the mercurial winger on the right flank.

Koln, meanwhile, will travel without the suspended Hubers after the central defender received his fifth caution of the season after opening the scoring during his side's win against Frankfurt last weekend.

Nikola Soldo is likely to partner Julian Chabot at the back, with Baumgart unlikely to make any other changes to his starting XI after putting in such an impressive performance against one of Germany's Champions League representatives this season.

Sebastian Andersson, Florian Dietz, Luca Kilian, Dimitrios Limnios, Kristian Pedersen and Mark Uth all remain sidelined by injury, while Dejan Ljubicic is considered doubtful due to an ongoing illness.

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Muller; Anton, Mavropanos, Ito, Sosa; Haraguchi, Karazor, Endo; Silas, Pfeiffer, Fuhrich

FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Schwabe; Schmitz, Soldo, Chabot, Hector; Skhiri, Martel; Maina, Huseinbasic, Kainz; Tigges

We say: Stuttgart 0-0 FC Koln

Koln's matches have been very low on goal-mouth action in recent weeks, while Stuttgart will be desperate to stop the rot and avoid a fourth successive defeat in the Bundesliga.

Labbadia's side will be hoping for a favour from Dortmund against their relegation rivals Hertha on Sunday, with a draw potentially enough to move them into the relegation playoff spot should they receive one. Baumgart is unlikely to be too disappointed if his side can continue their run of clean sheets.

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