VfB Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich: Fixture, TV Schedule, and Match Preview

If Bayern Munich were looking to add drama to the Bundesliga, they successfully did so.

Still winless in 2015, they head to one of their oldest rivals, VfB Stuttgart, to try to kickstart their Rückrunde campaign. The table positions of the two clubs would suggest Bayern have the significant advantage, but the last trip to Stuttgart for the Rekordmeister needed a stoppage time winner for them to get the three points.

The silver lining for Bayern is Stuttgart has just as many if not more key injuries than Bayern does. This is already a must-win match for Stuttgart, but based on Bayern's results, it is a must-win match for them too.

The Match (134th Meeting)

Location: Mercedes Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany

Referees
Head: Florian Meyer
FC Bayern: 37 W, 8 D, 13 L – 97 YC, 2 RC

Assistants: Frank Willenborg, Christoph Bornhorst 
Fourth Official: Sascha Stegemann

Time converter at worldtimebuddy.com

Television and Streaming:
US: GolTV, Fubo TV
Canada: GolTV, Fubo TV
Germany: Sky Bundesliga 3 | HD
Other Countries

The Fixture

Form

FC Bayern: DLWWW
Stuttgart: DLDWL

2014/15 Meetings

Bayern Munich (2-0) VfB Stuttgart | Bundesliga (Allianz Arena)
FCB: Mario Götze (27’), Franck Ribéry (85’)

Records

Bundesliga: 59 W, 19 D, 17 L
DFB Pokal: 9 W, 0 D, 1 L
Ligapokal: 3 W, 1 L

Largest Victory: 6-1 (Bundesliga: September 9, 2012, Munich, Germany)
Largest Defeat: 3-0 (Bundesliga: April 4, 1968, Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany; March 15, 1969, Stuttgart, Germany; November 14, 1987, Stuttgart, Germany; DFB Pokal: November 9, 1989, Stuttgart, Germany)

The Squad

When will the Rückrunde finally start for Bayern? A point and two goals in two matches is not a great way to welcome 2015. Having a match against Stuttgart could be the trick, but a little shakeup might also be necessary.

Thus far, Pep Guardiola has tried out a more conservative setup, putting ball-winning players in midfield and on the flanks to try to maintain possession and build-up play. The ironic part is the commitment to fielding all his attackers just two months prior. Injuries has limited his tactical flexibility, but he is going to have to come with something different to get Bayern back on track.

Part of that something different could be to put attackers back into the match. After all, some of Bayern's most dominant victories came when Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, and Arjen Robben were on the field at the same time. That formula might be the ticket to get the goal tap flowing again, particularly without a match at midweek.

A switch to the foursome could be necessary without Jérôme Boateng. His absence could be the first domino which ripples throughout the setup. Without him as an outside center back, Guardiola will have to return to a four-back system. The move could free up a little space in the midfield though, the drain declogger that gets Bayern flowing again.

Whatever it is, it there needs to be a different solution if they want a different outcome from the last two.

Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Robert Lewandowski

Mario Götze – Thomas Müller – Arjen Robben

Bastian Schweinsteiger – Xabi Alonso

Juan Bernat – Dante – Mehdi Benatia – Mitchell Weiser

Manuel Neuer

Bench: Pepe Reina, David Alaba, Holger Badstuber, Sebastian Rode, Gianluca Gaudino, Sinan Kurt, Claudio Pizarro

Out/Suspended: Jérôme Boateng (red card), Philipp Lahm (ankle), Javi Martínez (knee), Rafinha (muscle strain), Franck Ribéry (muscle strain), Thiago Alcântara (knee)

The Opponent

When it comes to Stuttgart teams that have hosted Bayern over the past five years, this could be by far the worst one. Staving off relegation a year ago, they are even deeper trouble than before.

The club has already replaced its manager, Huub Stevens coming in for a second year in a row, this time for Armin Veh. The switch has not helped very much either, Stuttgart struggling with injuries as they remain in the bottom three.

With limited resources, Stevens has committed to more attack-minded players on the field, moving fullbacks up the field to staple down the flanks. Martin Harnik, the longtime Austrian attacking midfielder, has lead the line up top, occasionally dropping deeper into a false-nine role. The tactic has not worked fully to plan, Stuttgart without a finisher up top while not winning the battle in midfield either.

That could change if Stevens decide to recommit to Vedad Ibisević. The Bosnian missed half of the Hinrunde with a stress fracture, but has made two appearances already in Stuttgart's first two matches since the break. He has three goals and an assist in his career against Bayern, and he could once again come up with a big goal that puts the Rekordmeister under pressure.

Many Stuttgart players will have to step up in order for them to be in this match, but due to past performances, it is a feat that is achievable.

Projected Lineup (4-1-4-1):

Martin Harnik

Timo Werner – Christian Gentner – Moritz Leitner  – Florian Klein

Oriol Romeu

Adam Hlousek – Georg Schwarzenbeck – Timo Baumgartl – Daniel Schwaab

Sven Ulreich

Bench: Thorsten Kirschbaum, Konstatin Rausch, Karim Haggui, Gotoku Sakai, Alexandru Maxim, Sercan Sararer, Vedad Ibišević

Out/Suspended: Mohammad Abdellaoue (knee), Daniel Didavi (knee), Carlos Gruezo (thigh), Antonio Rüdiger (knee)

The Outcome

Bundesliga clubs have tried to counterattack against Bayern in the second half, and Stuttgart will try to do the same. Bayern contained it much better in their second match than the first, controlling the midfield much better. Having more attacking options will allow for more chances not just for them, but for box-to-box midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger as well. A thin, young Stuttgart squad will not be able to stop a high-powered Bayern attack.

Projected Score: VfB Stuttgart (0-3) Bayern Munich

The Other Action

Bundesliga

FC Schalke 04 vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach (Friday, 2:30 PM ET)
VfL Wolfsburg vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Saturday, 9:30 AM ET)
1. FSV Mainz 05 vs. Hertha Berliner SC (Saturday, 9:30 AM ET)
SC Freiburg vs. Borussia Dortmund (Saturday, 9:30 AM ET)
1. FC Köln vs. SC Paderbor 07 (Saturday, 9:30 AM ET)
Hamburger SV vs. Hannover 96 (Saturday, 12:30 PM ET)
SV Werder Bremen vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Sunday, 9:30 AM ET)
FC Augsburg vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Sunday, 11:30 AM ET)

UEFA Champions League Opponent

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Aalborg BK (Saturday, 1:00 PM ET)

DFB-Pokal Opponent

Eintracht Braunschweig vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern (Sunday, 7:30 AM ET)

The Table

	Team	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts.
	Bayern Munich	14	4	1	43	9	+34	46
	VfL Wolfsburg	11	5	3	38	19	+19	38
	Borussia Mönchengaldbach	9	6	4	27	16	+11	33
	FC Augsburg	11	0	8	26	22	+4	33
	Bayer 04 Leverkusen	8	8	3	29	20	+9	32
	FC Schalke 04	9	4	6	30	22	+8	31
	TSG 1899 Hoffenheim	7	5	7	31	30	+1	26
	Hannover 96	7	4	8	22	28	-6	25
	Eintracht Frankfurt	6	6	7	36	39	-3	24
	1. FC Köln	6	5	8	19	23	-4	23
	SV Werder Bremen	6	5	8	30	40	-10	23
	1. FSV Mainz 05	4	10	5	25	24	+1	22
	Hamburger SV	5	5	9	12	21	-9	20
	SC Paderborn 07	4	7	8	21	34	-13	19
	SC Freiburg	3	9	7	21	27	-6	18
	VfB Stuttgart	4	6	9	20	33	-13	18
	Hertha Berliner SC	5	3	11	24	38	-14	18
	Borussia Dortmund	4	4	11	18	27	-9	16