Stuttgart hoping for more of the same against Hamburg
Hamburger SV and VfB Stuttgart, two of the Bundesliga's biggest clubs, meet at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Saturday of Matchday 19 with a crucial three points in the battle against the drop on the line (kick-off 18:30CET/17:30GMT).
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Coming into this one off the back of two straight 3-1 wins, 15th-placed Stuttgart are full of confidence ahead of the visit of a Hamburg side that have failed to win in the last four, slipping to 11th in the process.
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History
Matchday 2 rewind: Hamburg 3-2 Stuttgart
Goals: 0-1 Ginczek (23'), 1-1 Ilicevic (34'), 1-2 Ginczek (42'), 2-2 Lasogga (84'), 3-2 Djourou (89')
Matchday 19 - match facts
- Stuttgart are unbeaten in the last four top-flight games and boast a solid record since Jürgen Kramny took over (W2, D2, L1).Die Schwaben could win three games in a row for the first time this season.Hamburg are winless in the last four and have only taken one point in that time.The Bundesliga 'Dino' have never lost three games in succession under Bruno Labbadia.HSV are, however, significantly better on their travels than on home turf (14 points away from home, eight at home).Labbadia was Stuttgart coach from December 2010 until August 2013, finishing 12th twice and sixth. In two of those seasons, he led the club into the UEFA Europa League.In a tense relegation battle on Matchday 33 last season, VfB beat Hamburg 2-1, pushing HSV into the relegation spots. The Northern giants eventually escaped the drop by way of a tense two-legged relegation play-off against Karlsruher SC.
Possible line-ups
Stuttgart: Tyton - Großkreutz, Sunjic, Niedermeier, Insua - Serey Die - Rupp, Gentner, Didavi, Kostic - Werner
Absentees: Harnik (knee), Ginczek (back)
Hamburg: Adler - Diekmeier, Djourou, Cleber, Ostrzolek - Kacar, Holtby - Müller, Hunt, Ilicevic - Lasogga
Absentees: Spahic (stomach), Ekdal (light training)
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