Keystone
VfB Stuttgart will have to make do without defender Leonidas Stergiou from eastern Switzerland at the start of the new season.
The Swiss international will be out for several weeks due to inflammation in his vertebrae, as coach Sebastian Hoeness announced the day before the first championship match.
Stuttgart have major personnel concerns in their defense ahead of Saturday's away game in Freiburg. In addition to Stergiou, French new signing Anthony Rouault will also be out for an extended period due to a shoulder injury. Dan-Axel Zagadou and Josha Vagnoman are still recovering from injuries at last year's championship runners-up.
SDA
