Preview: Union Berlin vs. Stuttgart - prediction, team news, lineups

Relegation-threatened Stuttgart will be looking to claim back-to-back Bundesliga victories when they face Union Berlin at the Alte Forsterei on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts, meanwhile, have endured a difficult run of form recently and they will be keen to return to winning ways as they bid to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Match preview

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At the beginning of February, Union Berlin were sitting fourth in the Bundesliga table and in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

However, four league defeats in their last five matches has seen them slip down to seventh place, with six points now separating them from Hoffenheim in fourth.

Their most recent defeat came away at Wolfsburg last weekend, with top goalscorer Taiwo Awoniyi putting the ball through his own net in the 24th minute to hand the hosts a narrow 1-0 win.

Urs Fischer's men remain in the hunt for European football, but their fortunes need to turn around quickly if they are to keep pace with their closest challengers Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Freiburg, who have all put unbeaten runs together.

The Iron Ones have fared better on home soil so far this season, accumulating 24 points at the Alte Forsterei compared with only 13 on the road.

Against Stuttgart, Union are unbeaten in each of their last five meetings, though four of these matches ended as a draw, so they will need to be on top of their game if they are to return to winning ways on Saturday.

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Stuttgart ended their miserable nine-game winless run with a crucial 3-2 victory at home against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend.

Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram put the visitors two goals in front within the first 35 minutes; however strikes from Wataru Endo, Chris Fuhrich and Sasa Kalajdzic turned the game on its head in dramatic fashion.

Pellegrino Matarazzo's side remain in the relegation zone but they are now just three points adrift of safety heading into the final nine games of the season.

Stuttgart will now prepare for Saturday's away fixture at Union Berlin, where they have drawn each of their last three matches. Die Roten's encounter in the reverse fixture with the Iron Ones also finished level, when Wahid Faghir scored a 93rd-minute equaliser in their 1-1 home draw in October last year.

Stuttgart's next three fixtures will see them face Union Berlin, Augsburg and Arminia Bielefeld, with all three opponents either out of form or battling relegation.

Matarazzo will be aware that this run could potentially make or break their season and a positive result this weekend could get the ball rolling for a much-needed run of form.

Team News

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Union Berlin forward Kevin Behrens and goalkeeper Andreas Luthe both tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week, so they are doubtful for Saturday's game, while Keita Endo's knee injury will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

The potential absence of Luthe will likely see Frederik Ronnow handed just his second Bundesliga start of the season between the sticks.

Christopher Trimmel and Niko Giesselmann are set to replace Julian Ryerson and Bastian Oczipka at wing-back, while Paul Jaeckel will be pushing to start at centre-back ahead of Dominique Heintz.

As for Stuttgart, Silas Katompa Mvumpa (shoulder), Nikolas Nartey and Mohamed Sankoh (both knee) are all ruled out due to injury.

After last weekend's victory, Matarazzo is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, with Sporting Lisbon loanee Tiago Tomas and Wolfsburg loanee Omar Marmoush set to join Kalajdzic in a three-man attack.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Jaeckel, Knoche, Baumgartl; Giesselmann, Haraguchi, Khedira, Promel, Trimmel; Becker, Awoniyi

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:
Muller; Mavropanos, Anton, Ito, Sousa; Endo, Karazor, Fuhrich; Tomas, Kalajdzic, Marmoush

We say: Union Berlin 1-1 Stuttgart

There has been very little to separate these two sides in recent meetings and another tight affair could be on the cards this weekend.

While spirits will be high among Stuttgart's camp, we can see Union Berlin securing at least a point in front of their home supporters.

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