Köln’s three-point cushion puts Stuttgart under early pressure

VfB Stuttgart start tomorrow’s meeting with 1. FC Köln three points behind their opponents after losing their opening Bundesliga match. The match kicks off at 18:30 UTC on Friday at MHPArena, with C. Dingert refereeing a fixture that pits Stuttgart’s 0 points against Köln’s 3.

What's at stake

Stuttgart are 18th after one game, while Köln sit sixth with a 3-point lead and a goal difference of 1. A Stuttgart win would take them to 3 points, level with Köln’s current total; a defeat would leave Stuttgart on 0 and allow Köln to move to 6. Bayern München lead the table with 3 points, so Köln are currently level with the leaders and Stuttgart trail Bayern by 3.

The numbers

The opening-round records point in opposite directions: Stuttgart have scored 1 goal and conceded 5 overall, while Köln have scored 3 and conceded 2. Stuttgart’s most recent result was a loss and Köln’s was a win. Both listed venue records remain at 0W 0D 0L, with Stuttgart’s home record showing 0 scored and 0 conceded, and Köln’s away record also showing 0 scored and 0 conceded.

One to watch

T. Dallinga is the clearest attacking reference after scoring 2 goals in 1 appearance for Köln, but his involvement tomorrow is uncertain because he is listed as questionable with an illness. S. El Mala has also scored once in 1 appearance, giving Köln two named players on the league scorer chart with all 3 of the team’s goals.

Why it matters

Stuttgart’s availability list includes J. Diehl, L. Sauer and D. Seimen as missing, while J. Arevalo, L. Assignon, C. Fuhrich, L. Jaquez, N. Nartey and D. Zagadou are questionable. Köln will be without T. Hubers, and Dallinga’s illness adds a further question to a side seeking to protect its 3-point start.