VfB Stuttgart host Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 31 of the 2015/16 Bundesliga season on Saturday.
The match is much more important for the hosts than the Black and Yellows, seeing as a poor run of form—only two wins from their last 10 league games—has put them back into a relegation battle many thought the Swabians had left behind a few weeks ago: Stuttgart are 15th in the table, only two points ahead of Werder Bremen in the relegation-play-off spot
Head coach Jurgen Kramny, who took over in late November and promptly lost his first match in charge against Dortmund 4-1, is optimistic his team can fight their way out of the danger zone, per the club's official website: "We are ready to face the current situation and defend ourselves. It’s all about giving it full-throttle, fighting and showing a united front. We are approaching the tasks ahead positively and we firmly believe we can get some positive results."
The game is of little significance for the Black and Yellows, whose focus solely lies on the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich on May 21. They have nothing to play for in the Bundesliga, having already clinched a second-place finish weeks ago. A loss against Stuttgart will mean Bayern win the title with a win at Hertha BSC, so Dortmund may try to delay the inevitable.
Saturday's visitors have won twice against the Swabians this season already—the aforementioned 4-1 in the league and a 3-1 away win in the cup in February—and haven't lost against them since January 2010. This is their longest such run in the Bundesliga, according to Thursday's edition of German sport magazine Kicker.
The match is much more important for the hosts than the Black and Yellows, seeing as a poor run of form—only two wins from their last 10 league games—has put them back into a relegation battle many thought the Swabians had left behind a few weeks ago: Stuttgart are 15th in the table, only two points ahead of Werder Bremen in the relegation-play-off spot
Head coach Jurgen Kramny, who took over in late November and promptly lost his first match in charge against Dortmund 4-1, is optimistic his team can fight their way out of the danger zone, per the club's official website: "We are ready to face the current situation and defend ourselves. It’s all about giving it full-throttle, fighting and showing a united front. We are approaching the tasks ahead positively and we firmly believe we can get some positive results."
The game is of little significance for the Black and Yellows, whose focus solely lies on the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich on May 21. They have nothing to play for in the Bundesliga, having already clinched a second-place finish weeks ago. A loss against Stuttgart will mean Bayern win the title with a win at Hertha BSC, so Dortmund may try to delay the inevitable.
Saturday's visitors have won twice against the Swabians this season already—the aforementioned 4-1 in the league and a 3-1 away win in the cup in February—and haven't lost against them since January 2010. This is their longest such run in the Bundesliga, according to Thursday's edition of German sport magazine Kicker.
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