BERLIN, Sept 20, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Cornerstones of Stuttgart's unlikely run from relegation candidates to runners-up last season, striker Serhou Guirassy and defender Waldemar Anton return to their old stomping ground with new side Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

Stuttgart's reward for playing their best season in recent memory was having their squad picked apart by German rivals, with centre-back Hiroki Ito also leaving to join Bayern Munich.

Despite strong recruitment and keeping hold of in-demand manager Sebastian Hoeness, Stuttgart have taken time to adjust this season, winning just one from three in the league.

Tuesday's spirited 3-1 loss at Real Madrid showed Stuttgart the challenges of balancing league and cup campaigns alongside European commitments, particularly as they try to bed in their new recruits.

Summer arrival Ermedin Demirovic has big boots to fill after Guirassy scored 28 goals in 28 league games for Stuttgart last season.

So far, Demirovic has done well and is scoring at the same rate in the league, with three goals in three games.

Guirassy arrived in Dortmund injured but has since played twice. On Wednesday, he won and converted a penalty in Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League win at Club Brugge.

Anton has however started all of Dortmund's league fixtures so far this term, but the former Stuttgart captain will not expect a warm welcome at the weekend.

The centre-back was booed by fans in Germany's Euro 2024 match with Hungary in Stuttgart in June, with fans upset at his decision to leave the club.

His replacement in the heart of the Stuttgart defence Jeff Chabot told Bild on Thursday that Guirassy "is a top player who is not easy to defend".

Chabot's former club Cologne were relegated last season but managed to keep Guirassy in check, with the Guinean unable to get on the scoresheet in either fixture against them.

On Saturday, Harry Kane and Bayern travel to Werder Bremen, where he made his Bundesliga debut just over one year ago.

On that night, Kane scored a goal and laid on an assist in a 4-0 thumping, but it was in their 1-0 defeat against the same opposition at home when the cracks in the Bavarians' title defence became clear.

While the England captain is yet to break his trophy drought as Bayern finished last year without silverware, he has started the season in fine form, with nine goals in five games in all competitions.

"They're in good form, but so are we," Bremen coach Ole Werner said Thursday.

"We're going out on the pitch to win the game."

Bremen are unbeaten in four games to start the season, including a scoreless home draw with Dortmund.

One to watch: Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Six months after arriving in Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain, French forward Hugo Ekitike has finally hit form with the Eagles.

In four matches in all competitions so far in 2024-25, Ekitike has six goal contributions -- three goals and three assists -- the same as his total tally from 17 games last season.

The 22-year-old and his strike partner Omar Marmoush have already assisted each other three times this season, and Ekitike has said that other teams should watch out for them.

"We do play very well together. We understand each other and it's only getting better, so our opponents will find out," he said.

Key stats

0 - Three teams -- promoted Holstein Kiel and St Pauli along with Bochum -- remain on zero points after three games.

1 - Bayern have lost just one of their past 33 matches with Werder Bremen in all competitions -- although that defeat came the last time the sides met each other in January.

3 - Dortmund faced Stuttgart three times last season and lost all three with Guirassy scoring in each match.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Augsburg v Mainz (1830)

Saturday

Bochum v Holstein Kiel, Heidenheim v Freiburg, Union Berlin v Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1630)

Sunday

Bayer Leverkusen v Wolfsburg, Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund (1530), St Pauli v RB Leipzig (1730)