Atakan Karazor could make his first appearance of the season for VfB Stuttgart this Saturday. The 29-year-old defensive midfielder is in contention due to Angelo Stiller's knee bruise and Stuttgart's recent defensive frailties as second-placed Borussia Dortmund visit the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß faces a significant selection decision for the top match at 18:30. "Will he go from benchwarmer to gap-filler?" the 44-year-old coach asked rhetorically. Karazor, the former team captain, has yet to play a single minute for Stuttgart this campaign. Hoeneß has instead relied on the double pivot of Stiller and the more attack-minded new signing Grischa Prömel, who has logged 247 minutes across the first three matches, scoring two goals.

Defensive Gaps

The need for a stabiliser like Karazor was exposed in the 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim. Stuttgart conceded both goals following high ball losses, left the centre too open and failed to secure the defensive depth adequately. Training sessions this week have focused on transition play and closing down the central spaces. In his role as the holding midfielder, Karazor has always been a vocal organiser. "As a six in front of the defence, the ex-captain directed play loudly like no other player, shifted his teammates left and right and became vocal when execution was poor," the description goes.

If Stiller recovers in time, Hoeneß could also opt for a three-man midfield featuring both. However, after Stiller's injury last match, 19-year-old Yanik Spalt was preferred over Karazor. The arrival of Borussia Dortmund, who sit second in the table with nine points from three games and are on a flawless five-match winning run, presents a particular challenge. The last meeting in April saw Dortmund win 2-0 in Stuttgart. BVB's current injury list includes Filippo Mané, Giannis Konstantelias and Konstantinos Karetsas, as visible on our injuries page.

For Borussia Dortmund, the aim is to extend their perfect run of five consecutive wins and maintain pressure at the top. Edin Terzić's side travels with the momentum of a 3-0 home win over Paderborn, where Fábio Silva and a Felix Nmecha brace were on target. Nmecha, who already has 4 goal contributions this season, is a key figure in the attack. Hoeneß will make the final call on Karazor's involvement on Saturday before kick-off.

Read the full report at Bild Sport