Stuttgart seeking Sevilla inspiration

Markus Babbel hopes the visit of Group G leaders Sevilla FC will bring the best out of his underperforming team, with VfB Stuttgart having drawn their opening UEFA Champions League outings against Rangers FC and FC Unirea Urziceni. Manuel Jiménez's Sevilla are four points clear already and well placed to win the section, leading the coach to dream about going all the way this season.

Quotes
Markus Babbel, Stuttgart coach
We are facing extremely strong opposition who are among the top clubs in Europe. They showed that impressively in their 2-1 win against Real Madrid – a game which they could have won by an even higher margin. Without being too modest, I think I can say we are not favourites in this match. We have not played to our full potential this season, but this is a new competition and a new chance. Our performances are improving. Maybe it's also a good thing for us that we now meet a team that wants to play attacking football. We've had a hard time lately against teams which drop deep into their half and only look to play on the counterattack. But we have to capitalise on our chances better than we did against Schalke [a 2-1 defeat]. In the Champions League, you get even fewer chances.

Manuel Jiménez, Sevilla coach
This could be a good year for Sevilla. We're taking part in this competition for the third time and slowly but surely we are improving. We could finish first in the group, and then we're allowed to dream. Why couldn't we make it to the semis or even the final? But we have to face Stuttgart first. We're currently lacking a bit when it comes to taking chances, so we need to have the right attitude and be ruthless tomorrow. We won't be fooled by Stuttgart's standing in the Bundesliga; you don't become German champions five times by doing nothing. We have plenty of respect for them.

Weekend results
17/10/09 Stuttgart 1-2 FC Schalke 04
(Cacau 73; Rakitić 24, Kuranyi 76)

• Stuttgart have not won in six home games since beating SC Freiburg 4-2 on 15 August, scoring just twice in that run.

• Stuttgart have lost their last three games at the VfB Arena since a 13-match unbeaten home league run under Babbel was ended with a 2-0 defeat by 1. FC Köln on 19 September.

17/10/09 RC Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 Sevilla
(Rodríguez 38)

• Injury-hit Sevilla's run of seven successive victories in all competitions was ended at Deportivo. Andrés Palop, Sébastien Squillaci (both calf) and Abdoulay Konko (fever) were late withdrawals, while Luis Fabiano failed to make it back in time after playing for Brazil.

Team news
Stuttgart
Out: Martin Lanig (cruciate ligament), Georg Niedermeier (foot), Matthieu Delpierre (adductor)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

Sevilla
Out: Álvaro Negredo (illness), Renato (calf), Andrés Palop (calf), Abdoulay Konko (illness), Federico Fazio (ankle), Tom De Mul (left adductor)
Doubtful: Aldo Duscher (back)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

• Duscher was an unused substitute against Deportivo.

Background
• It is an early reunion for teams who met 12 months ago in Spain during the UEFA Cup group stage, Sevilla winning 2-0. In the first competitive fixture between the sides, Ndri Romaric opened the scoring for the 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup winners and Renato quickly doubled the lead.

• Stuttgart's Matchday 1 draw with Rangers helped the German team improve their home record in the UEFA Champions League. Before that, they had lost three of their last four games in their own stadium.

Did you know?
• Khalid Boulahrouz made six league and two UEFA Champions League qualifying appearances on loan at Sevilla in 2007/08.