Cologne vs VfB Stuttgart: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

Anthony Modeste returns among the goals ahead of Cologne’s meeting with Omar Marmoush and VfB Stuttgart on Sunday (kick-off: 5.30 p.m. CET).

Last

> Click here for the Cologne-Stuttgart LIVE blog!

Modeste ended a four-game drought with a midweek brace as Cologne came from behind to beat Wolfsburg. The veteran France has now scored 10 times in the Hinrunde, accounting for 39% of his team’s total goals. Wolfsburg’s result followed a two-game winless streak for the Billy Goats and was Cologne’s first away league win all season. Cologne could move up to European rank by collecting all three points for a second day in a row, which would end an excellent first half of the season for Steffen Baumgart and his team. Salih Özcan is uncertain so there could be a reshuffle, with captain Jonas Hector entering the base from midfield, Benno Schmitz passing to the left-back and Kingsley Schindler coming to the right of the defense.

Stuttgart’s three-game unbeaten streak ended flatly at home against Bayern Munich the last time the defending champions beat VfB five times. Borna Sosa missed that defeat – and the 2-0 win at Wolfsburg on Matchday 15 – with an injury, but should be fit enough to come back to the left, which would put Hiroki Ito back in the squad. last three from Pellegrino Matarazzo. Another man on the return trail is Silas Katompa Mvumpa, who is heading for a first start since being injured in another heavy loss to Bayern in March. Matarazzo will be careful not to rush Silas back too quickly, however, and the festive break will give the 23-year-old even more time to fully recover. This means Marmoush and Philipp Förster should continue in attack, last season’s top scorer Sasa Kalajdzic, another player aiming for a return from Rückrunde.

Look: Modest double Wolfsburg

Match statistics

• Cologne are one of only three Bundesliga teams (alongside Mainz and Hoffenheim) to have yet to receive a penalty this season.
• Only Robert Lewandowski (70) has managed more shots on goal than Anthony Modeste (60) this season.
• The Billy Goats have won 68% of all their points at home this season (15 of 22).
• Konstantinos Mavropanos is the most-scoring Bundesliga co-defender in 2021/22 with four goals, alongside Philip Lienhart of Freiburg.
• Silas scored 11 goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances last season before getting injured. He has made four substitute appearances this quarter since his recovery.
• Stuttgart are undefeated in their last five Bundesliga encounters with Cologne, with four wins and one draw. They lost the last meeting, however – the 2-0 defeat in October in the DFB Cup second round.

Likely queues

Cologne: Schwäbe – Schindler, Kilian, Czichos, Schmitz – Hector (c) – Duda, Uth, Kainz – Modeste, Andersson
Outside: Hauptmann (sick), T. Horn (knee), Köbbing (knee), Ostrak (muscular)
Doubtful: Ljubicic (muscular), Özcan (calf), Skhiri (sick)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Stuttgart: Müller – Mavropanos, Anton, Ito – Karazor – Coulibaly, Endo (c), Mangala, Sosa – Förster, Marmoush
Outside: Kalajdzic (shoulder), Klement (not included), Millot (knee), Sankoh (knee)
Doubtful: Massimo (ankle), Nartey (knee)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo