VFB Stuttgart VfB Stuttgart - KOE Köln 1. FC Köln

Stuttgart frustrated by a well-drilled and disciplined Cologne side. After Millot gave Stuttgart the lead, Cologne fought back and deservedly levelled, before digging in to hold on for another precious point.

A largely one-sided first half, but without any clear chances for Stuttgart. Guirassy's header was the closest they got to breaking the deadlock against a defensive Cologne, whose game plan appears to be working.

Fabian Bredlow shakes off a stomach bug to start in goal for Stuttgart. Josha Vagnoman comes in for the suspended Pascal Stenzel at right-back, but Maximilian left-back Mittelstädt is only fit enough for a place on the bench. Anthony Rouault is cycled in at centre-back, with Hiroki Ito moving to the left-hand side. Deniz Undav misses out through injury, while Jeong Woo-yeong is preferred to Jamie Leweling. Enzo Millot is recalled in the No.10 role. As for Cologne, Timo Schultz makes three changes to the 1-0 loss to Bremen. Rasmus Carstensen gets the nod over Benno Schmitz at right-back, Jeff Chabot replaces unwell centre-back Timo Hübers and 19-year-old Justin Diehl is handed his full Bundesliga debut in attack. Linton Maina is the man to make way.

Bredlow - Vagnoman, Anton (c), Rouault, Ito - Karazor, Stiller - Jeong, Millot, Führich - Guirassy

Seimen, Mittelstädt, Stergiou, Chase, Dahoud, Haraguchi, Egloff, Silas, Leweling

Schwäbe - Carstensen, Kilian, Chabot, Finkgräfe - Martel, Huseinbašić - Thielmann, Kainz (c), Ljubicic - Diehl

Pentke, Schmitz, Heintz, Paqarada, Christensen, Maina, Alidou, Tigges, Adamyan

Sebastian Hoeneß, meanwhile, has problems at both ends of the pitch. Usual starting goalkeeper Alexander Nübel has missed the last two matches with a hip issue and is doubtful here as well, while Deniz Undav suffered a hamstring injury against Darmstadt and is therefore also unavailable. He will be joined by Pascal Stenzel, who will be serving his one-match suspension, on the sidelines.

Timo Schultz's main selection comes up front, as he will definitely be without three strikers in Davie Selke, Mark Uth and Luca Waldschmidt and may also have to set his team up in the absence of a fourth, Faride Alidou, who is recovering from illness. Otherwise, he has a full squad to choose from.

Stuttgart have had the better of this match-up in recent games, winning three and drawing one of the last four while conceding just once. Cologne's last victory over the Baden-Württemberg outfit came in 2021, when Anthony Modeste's strike secured a 1-0 victory.

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 23 fixture between Stuttgart and Cologne.