Champions League football returns to Stuttgart for the first time since 2010 as the Bundesliga outfit welcome Sparta Prague to the MHPArena on Tuesday evening.
A second-place finish in the German top-flight last season saw Sebastian Hoeness’ side return to Europe’s top table, and they deserved much more from their opening encounter of the campaign away at Real Madrid.
Deniz Undav drew Stuttgart level in the second half, but goals from Antonio Rudiger and Endrick sealed a 3-1 win for the holders. Still, Hoeness and company should take great confidence from their showing in the Spanish capital, and they’ve since battered Borussia Dortmund 5-1 in the Bundesliga.
Unlike Stuttgart, Sparta started their league phase on a winning note. They took full advantage of a young and naive RB Salzburg side on Matchday 1, beating them 3-0 on home soil.
However, the visitors head into this game heaving suffered their first domestic defeat of the season at the weekend.
Here is 90min’s guide to Stuttgart vs Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Stadium: MHPArena
Date: Tuesday 1 October
Kick-off Time: 17:45 BST / 12:45 ET / 09:45 PT
Referee: Manfredas Lukjancukas (LTU)
VAR: Jerome Brisard (FRA)
Stuttgart vs Sparta Prague H2H Record
This is the first competitive fixture between Stuttgart and Sparta Prague.
How to watch Stuttgart vs Sparta Prague on TV and live stream
Stuttgart team news
Stuttgart have several injury concerns heading into this one, especially in defence. They’re going to be without Dan-Axel Zagadou for the foreseeable due to a knee injury, while Leonidas Stergiou is also absent with a back issue.
Hoeness will hope to have Ameen Al Dakhil back in time for Sparta Prague’s visit, with the former Burnley defender struggling with illness as of late.
Atakan Karazor’s red card at the weekend will not rule him out of Tuesday’s game as his suspension only applies to domestic matches.
Stuttgart predicted lineup vs Sparta Prague
Stuttgart predicted lineup vs Sparta Prague (4-2-3-1): Nubel; Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Stiller, Karazor; Rieder, Millot, Leweling; Undav.
Sparta Prague team news
Imanol Garcia is out for the long haul with a knee injury, but the left-back wasn’t eligible to feature on Tuesday anyway.
Garcia is one of several likely absentees for the visitors, with Sparta also set to be without Mathias Ross and Elias Cobbaut for their trip to Germany. Roman Mokrovics is a doubt.
Overall, there are unlikely to be many – if any – changes to the starting XI that thumped Salzburg 3-0 on Matchday 1.
Sparta Prague predicted lineup vs Stuttgart (3-4-3): Vindahl; Zeleny, Vitik, Panak; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Wiesner; Birmancevic, Olatunji, Haraslin,
Stuttgart vs Sparta Prague score prediction
Hoeness’ Stuttgart are a great watch, and they were a slicker finishing display from potentially running riot at the Bernabeu on Matchday 1. Instead, they contrived to lose.
Still, the Germans proved in Spain that they belong at this level, and they’ll be keen to put on a show for their supporters in a contest that’s been 14 years in the making. The MHPArena will be rocking.
Sparta are a shrewd and canny outfit with some dynamism up top, and they may cause a depleted Stuttgart defence a few issues. The hosts have struggled for clean sheets this season. However, Sparta are unlikely to be able to resist Stuttgart’s intensity, high-octane nature, and majestic verticality for the duration. There should be plenty of goals in an entertaining home win.
