Match Information
Match Overview
VfB Stuttgart host Borussia Dortmund at the MHPArena on September 19, 2026, in a Matchday 4 fixture of the Bundesliga's Regular Season, with the campaign still very much in its early shape. The gulf in the table tells its own story: Stuttgart sit 14th while Dortmund occupy 2nd, and the underlying form supports that gap. Dortmund arrive unbeaten across all competitions in their available recent matches, having won each of their last five outings, including a 3-0 dispatch of SC Paderborn 07 on September 12 and a 3-2 UEFA Champions League victory over Villarreal on September 8. That kind of consistency, spanning league, cup, and European fixtures, reflects a side firing on all cylinders under N. Kovač.
Stuttgart's form, by contrast, has been erratic. Under S. Hoeneb, they suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat away to Bayern München on August 28 and were beaten 2-1 at 1899 Hoffenheim on September 12, results that help explain their lowly league position. Sandwiched between those losses were morale-boosting wins, notably a 3-1 home victory over Viking in the Champions League and a 4-1 thrashing of 1. FC Köln in the league, suggesting a team capable of good performances but lacking consistency against varied opposition.
Both sides have fixture congestion to weigh, having played in the Champions League within the past two weeks alongside league and cup commitments, though neither squad reports any injury concerns. With Stuttgart's full squad available, Hoeneb has selection flexibility to try to disrupt Dortmund's momentum. History adds intrigue too, with the head-to-head series showing Stuttgart capable of springing surprises against Dortmund, including a 5-1 win in the corresponding fixture on September 22, 2024.
Ultimately, this meeting pits a Dortmund side in excellent form against a Stuttgart team searching for the consistency that has eluded them through the opening rounds.
Predicted Lineups
VfB Stuttgart
F. Bredlow; Finn Jeltsch, J. Chabot, R. Hendriks; J. Vagnoman, G. Prömel, A. Stiller, M. Mittelstädt, E. Demirović, C. Führich; D. Pejčinović
Borussia Dortmund
G. Kobel; Kouakou Joane Gadou, W. Anton, N. Schlotterbeck; J. Ryerson, J. Veerman, J. Bellingham, D. Svensson, E. Nwaneri, Fábio Silva; S. Guirassy
Team Form Analysis
VfB Stuttgart
League Position: 14VfB Stuttgart Form Analysis
Stuttgart's recent form has been a mixed bag, with results swinging between comfortable wins and heavy defeats. Their Bundesliga campaign started poorly with a 5-1 loss away to Bayern München on August 28, before bouncing back with a commanding 4-1 home win over 1. FC Köln on September 4. A strong 3-1 Champions League victory over Viking on September 9 followed, showing the squad's attacking capability when firing collectively, before another league setback, a 2-1 away defeat to 1899 Hoffenheim on September 12, halted the momentum. Across these matches, Stuttgart have shown they can score freely against mid-table or weaker opposition but have struggled defensively against stronger sides, conceding five and two goals in their two Bundesliga losses. The DFB Pokal win over Hansa Rostock, 4-0 away, further underlines their attacking depth against lower-division opposition. Overall, the picture is of a team with attacking quality but defensive vulnerabilities that have contributed to their 14th-place standing early in the season.
Borussia Dortmund
League Position: 2Borussia Dortmund Form Analysis
Borussia Dortmund arrive in excellent form, unbeaten across their last five matches in all competitions. Their Bundesliga form has been particularly strong, with wins over Hamburger SV (2-0, August 29), 1899 Hoffenheim (3-2 away, September 5), and SC Paderborn 07 (3-0, September 12), a run that has propelled them to 2nd in the table. Their attacking output has been consistent, scoring in every fixture and finding the net multiple times in four of their last five outings. Defensively, they have also looked solid, keeping clean sheets against Hamburger SV and Paderborn. The Champions League win over Villarreal (3-2, September 8) and a 5-0 DFB Pokal victory over HEBC on September 1 further demonstrate their squad depth and ability to perform across competitions without a drop in intensity. Under N. Kovač, Dortmund look well-balanced and confident heading into this trip to the MHPArena.
Head-to-Head
VfB Stuttgart
Borussia Dortmund
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | VfB Stuttgart | 0 - 2 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2025-11-22 | Borussia Dortmund | 3 - 3 | VfB Stuttgart |
| 2025-02-08 | Borussia Dortmund | 1 - 2 | VfB Stuttgart |
| 2024-09-22 | VfB Stuttgart | 5 - 1 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2024-04-06 | Borussia Dortmund | 0 - 1 | VfB Stuttgart |
| 2023-12-06 | VfB Stuttgart | 2 - 0 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2023-11-11 | VfB Stuttgart | 2 - 1 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2023-04-15 | VfB Stuttgart | 3 - 3 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2022-10-22 | Borussia Dortmund | 5 - 0 | VfB Stuttgart |
| 2022-04-08 | VfB Stuttgart | 0 - 2 | Borussia Dortmund |
Memorable Matches
The history between these two sides has produced some dramatic scorelines. On September 22, 2024, Stuttgart thrashed Dortmund 5-1 at home, one of the most emphatic results in the recent series. The two teams also shared a thrilling 3-3 draw in Dortmund on November 22, 2025, a match that swung back and forth before ending level. Another high-scoring affair came on April 15, 2023, when the sides drew 3-3 at Stuttgart. These results highlight a fixture that has often produced goals at both ends, regardless of league position, making it one of the more unpredictable meetings on the Bundesliga calendar.
Venue Factor
The MHPArena hosts this Matchday 4 clash, with Stuttgart looking to draw on home support to disrupt in-form opposition. Home matches carry extra significance for Stuttgart given their current 14th-place standing, as they look to convert home advantage into much-needed points. Dortmund, meanwhile, travel to Stuttgart on the back of five straight wins across competitions, a run that
Injury Concerns
VfB Stuttgart
Borussia Dortmund
