Players to watch
Waldemar Anton & Serhou Guirassy: The media will likely focus on both individuals, as Guirassy and Anton were among Stuttgart’s strongest players last season, yet Stuttgart kicked Dortmund’s butt in their homecoming match in the MHPArena. Guirassy found good form during the brief stint with Mike Tullberg in charge, and we should expect Kovač to utilize the Ginean in a similar fashion. Waldemar Anton will likely be shoring up defenses, with both Süle and Schlotterbeck missing. This game could be a crucial one for the German International.
Ermedin Demirovic & Deniz Undav: Hoeneß frequently uses systems with two strikers upfront. These two have scored eight and seven league goals, respectively, with Undav also scoring the cup winner midweek. If these two are in form, their output can be dangerous, and Dortmund’s defense hasn’t been the strongest lately. These two players were responsible for three of the five goals they put past Kobel in their last meeting of the season.