Stuttgart host Köln looking to bounce back from a heavy 5-1 opening-day defeat at Bayern Munich. The hosts sit bottom of the table with zero points, while Köln arrive in good spirits after a 3-2 home win over Hoffenheim and currently sit seventh.

Form & Context

• Stuttgart: L (1-5 vs Bayern). Strong home side last season but started the new campaign poorly.
• Köln: W (3-2 vs Hoffenheim). Positive start under René Wagner, though key attackers Thijs Dallinga and Said El Mala were reported ill ahead of the trip.

Stuttgart have dominated recent meetings (unbeaten in their last seven Bundesliga clashes with Köln and strong at home against them).

Team News

Stuttgart
Goalkeeper Dennis Seimen is out (hamstring), so Fabian Bredlow starts. Other absentees include Justin Diehl, Nikolas Nartey and Dan-Axel Zagadou (all muscle-related).

Likely lineup (approx.): Bredlow; Vagnoman, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstädt; Prömel, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, Führich; Pejčinović.

Köln
Dallinga and El Mala are doubts/ill. Timo Hübers, Sebastian Sebulonsen and Luca Waldschmidt also missing.

Likely lineup (approx.): Schwäbe; Castro-Montes, Simpson-Pusey, Lochoshvili, Mensah; Skhiri, Krauß; Thielmann, Jóhannesson, El Mala; Dallinga/Ache.

Prediction

Stuttgart 2-1 Köln

Stuttgart should recover at home against a Köln side that can be vulnerable on the road. Expect an open, high-scoring contest with the hosts’ attacking quality (Undav, Pejčinović, Führich) proving decisive.