Six games. Six defeats. Zero points. Borussia Mönchengladbach travel to Stuttgart on Friday night with an unwanted record in sight. If they lose again, they become the first team in Bundesliga history to lose their opening seven matches.
Stuttgart are not in great shape either. They are 13th, have lost four of six, and will be missing their top scorer. They are still massive favourites, though, and the numbers show why.
Gladbach: A Club in Freefall
The Foals have already sacked one coach. Eugen Polanski was fired in mid-September after a 5-0 humiliation at Freiburg, and former St. Pauli boss Alexander Blessin was brought in during the international break.
The new-manager bounce hasn’t come. Blessin’s first two games both ended in 1-2 defeats, to Köln and Hoffenheim. Those losses were tighter than before, but Gladbach still lost.
The numbers are grim:
- 20 goals conceded in six games, the worst defence in the league
- 1 goal scored, 10 conceded across three away trips
- 5 points from safety already
The injury list has also grown to nine players. Strikers Tim Kleindienst and Isac Lidberg are both out, along with Franck Honorat, Ko Itakura and Nicolas Kühn. Blessin will have very little attacking quality available.
Stuttgart: Wasteful, But Dangerous
Sebastian Hoeneß’s side have a different problem: they create chances but don’t finish them. Stuttgart have scored only eight league goals from roughly 12 expected goals, and poor finishing cost them in last week’s 1-0 loss at Hamburg.
Their European form is more encouraging. On Tuesday they held Atlético Madrid 1-1 in the Champions League, with Jamie Leweling on the scoresheet.
That draw came at a cost. Right-back Josha Vagnoman, Stuttgart’s leading Bundesliga scorer this season, pulled a hamstring and is out for three to four weeks. Nartey, Tiago Tomás, Diehl and Zagadou are also missing.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Seimen; Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Hendriks; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, Führich; Demirović
Head-to-Head: Stuttgart Own This Fixture
- Stuttgart have scored in each of their last 14 meetings with Gladbach
- There hasn’t been a goalless draw between these sides in 30 meetings
- Stuttgart won the last meeting 3-0 at Borussia-Park in January 2026
Key Battle
Gladbach’s makeshift back line vs Leweling and Führich. Stuttgart’s wingers cause problems for any defence. Against a back line short of Itakura and Leszczyński, and short on confidence, they should be the difference.
The Danger for Stuttgart
Stuttgart played on Tuesday, so expect some rotation and possibly a slow start. If they keep missing chances, a desperate Gladbach side defending deep could hold on for a first point. Gladbach have also scored in three straight league games, so they can still find a goal.
XScore Verdict
Stuttgart are tired and missing their top scorer, but Gladbach are leaking goals and have no fit strikers. The class gap should show at the MHPArena.
Prediction: Stuttgart 3-1 Gladbach
| Tip | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Stuttgart to win | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Stuttgart over 1.5 team goals | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Over 2.5 goals | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Both teams to score | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Banker: Stuttgart win Value pick: Stuttgart -1 handicap
Gladbach could make history on Friday, and not the kind they want.
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