Tuesday, February 7, 2012

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08.02. (Wed) 20:30 Stuttgart - Bayern Munchen

VfB Stuttgart, Vedad Ibisevic
Getty Images


 PROBABLE LINEUPS

STUTTGART


Ulreich
Boulahrouz, Tasci, Niedermeier, Sakai
Okazaki, Kvist, Gentner, Schieber
Ibisevic, Cacau
BAYERN MUNICH
Neuer
Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm
Kroos, Schweinstieger
Robben, Muller, Ribery
Gomez

Having received his marching orders in the dying minutes of the weekend's draw with Bayer Leverkusen, Cristian Molinaro will be unavailable to Stuttgart for the visit of Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, despite his return home from the Africa Cup of Nations, Ibrahima Traore will be missing for the next couple of weeks with a muscle problem. Arthur Boka is still with his native Cote d'Ivoire at the tournament, meaning that Japan Under-22 international Gotoku Sakai could fill the void at left-back.

After being forced to play Anatoliy Tymoshchuk as a makeshift full-back over the weekend, Jupp Heynckes can welcome Rafinha back into the side following his suspension. Arjen Robben became a father once more on Monday, but is expected to play nonetheless, despite taking time this week to see his wife. Daniel Van Buyen remains a long-term absentee.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Stuttgart have won this competition three times, while their opponents have lifted the DFB-Pokal on 15 occasions.
  • Stuttgart's 25-year-old defender Georg Niedermeier represented Bayern Munich as a youth, and although he played for the Bavarians' 'B' side, never made a Bundesliga appearance for the full team.
  • The Mercerdes Benz Arena outfit's coach, Bruno Labbadia, represented Bayern Munich as a player between 1991 and 1994.
  • Bayern Munich's star striker Mario Gomez (right) started his career at Stuttgart, while Philipp Lahm had a two-year loan spell at the Mercedes Benz Arena.
  • Ottmar Hitzfeld, who played for Stuttgart for three years, won this competition on three occasions as Bayern coach.
  • The Bavarians won this competition in 1986, beating Stuttgart 5-2 in the final.
Prediction
Both of these teams have started 2012 in inauspicious fashion, and their floundering form could make this the tightest of contests. However, I'd expect the Bavarians' superior quality to see them through - just.
Editor's Prediction
VfB Stuttgart 1-2 Bayern