Guirassy, Anton set for Stuttgart return

Stuttgart’s resurgence remains somewhat astonishing. Less than two years ago, they needed a relegation play-off victory over Hamburg to stay in the Bundesliga; this week, they gave 15-time European champions Real Madrid a run for their money at the Santiago Bernabéu as they rejoined the continent’s elite. Defensive leader Anton and last term’s top goalscorer Guirassy played key roles in Die Schwaben’s rise, but that didn’t stop either from moving to Signal Iduna Park in the summer. Now, they will make their first trip back to the MHPArena since then.

The game, therefore, will have extra significance for the duo, who are settling in well in the Ruhr. Anton has already established himself as an important part of the defence, with Dortmund conceding just twice in their opening three Bundesliga games this term. Meanwhile, Guirassy showed glimpses of his quality on his return from injury as he made his debut in the victory over Heidenheim on Matchday 3 and scored his first goal for the club by notching a late penalty in the midweek Champions League win over Club Brugge.

“Everyone has been so helpful,” Anton told bundesliga.com in an exclusive interview. “Of course, I knew a few of the players from the national set-up already, so it was actually really easy to integrate here. It was all very positive and everybody gave me a good feeling right away. I hope I did the same for them. The coaching team and the rest of the staff were all perfect and it just fit right away.”

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Contrasting opinions

Former Stuttgart marksman Guirassy remains a popular figure in Baden-Württemberg, which may in part be down to the long message he posted on his Instagram account as he bade VfB farewell. “The decision to leave Stuttgart was probably the hardest of my career because the club and the fans have a special place in my heart,” wrote the Guinea international forward. “Since I arrived, I have received incredible support. Your chants, your passion and your commitment have always inspired me to do my best on the field. Thank you for everything!"

Anton, on the other hand, did not depart on the best of terms. Club captain at the time of his switch, the 28-year-old had extended his contract in January of this year, which appeared to end any prospect of a move. Disappointingly for Stuttgart supporters, though, appearances proved deceptive. As such, it is unclear as to whether the short amount of time since his exit has helped the VfB faithful to heal.

For his part, at least, Anton is relishing the clash with his former teammates. “I am excited for it. The last four years in Stuttgart were fantastic,” said the centre-back, who earned a long-awaited senior Germany call-up thanks to his form last season. “ I met a lot of people and made a lot of new friends, and I love the boys, the team and the staff. We experienced a lot together so I’m really look forward to it. It promises to be a great evening of football.”

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BVB have three scores to settle

Last season’s results certainly added to the frustration felt by those in Stuttgart as they saw two of their best players move on. Not only did Sebastian Hoeneß’s men finish 10 points and three positions above Die Schwarzgelben in the table, they also beat them in all three meetings between the two outfits – in the Bundesliga, they recorded 2-1 and 1-0 victories, while they knocked Dortmund out of the DFB Cup courtesy of a 2-0 Round of 16 triumph.

Guirassy scored a decisive goal in each encounter while Anton was captain for two of them, although he did miss the away league win due to suspension. Dortmund’s strong start to the season – they have seven points from their opening three games – suggests Stuttgart’s previous superiority could be wiped out, especially if their two new arrivals have anything to say about it. How the returning duo deal with the emotionally-charged occasion on Matchday 4 may have a decisive impact on the outcome.

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