VfB Stuttgart vs SC Paderborn 07 preview - Stuttgart target a season's first

Stuttgart will seek to do something they have not managed yet this season when they host Paderborn on Saturday.

The Swabians have yet to win two games in a row, which goes some way to explaining why they are languishing just a point above the bottom three and two adrift of their visitors to the Mercedes-Benz Arena this weekend.

After beating Hamburg in midweek, Stuttgart now have their fourth opportunity this season to celebrate back-to-back victories, but that was "only the first small step in the right direction," according to coach Huub Stevens.

"Now I want us to take the next step against Paderborn," he added on his club's website.

"In our situation, every positive result is important, but of course we want to break up for the winter with a good performance and the result to go with it.

"Our home performances of late have not been satisfactory and that's why it would be even nicer if we could thank the fans for their trust."

The stadium is set to be a sell-out with nearly 60,000 expected, in spite of Stuttgart's poor form.

"That just shows that the people in the region are right behind us," added Stevens.

"The atmosphere inside the stadium can decide a tight game in your favour and it's no coincidence the fans are called your 12th man."

Paderborn coach Andre Breitenreiter does not expect that to intimidate his team as they come to the end of their first half a season in the top flight.

"My lads never give up," he said. "Our morale levels are unrivalled.

"We have already exceeded all of our expectations and the team have been magnificent."

With those words, Breitenreiter has tried to reduce the pressure on his side, seen by many before the season started as certainties to go down.

"We all knew there would be difficult phases, but then you only have to look at where we have come from to realise that we're punching above our weight," he said.