Fulham vs Stuttgart – News and Probable Lineups

As the new Premier League and Bundesliga seasons approach, Fulham and VfB Stuttgart will meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday for their final pre-season fixture.

This friendly gives the new Cottagers head coach Alvaro Arbeloa an opportunity to finalize his strategies before his first competitive match in charge, which will be a significant Premier League match against Chelsea.

Match overview

Following five consistent seasons under Marco Silva, Fulham is embarking on a fresh chapter, with former Real Madrid manager Arbeloa stepping into English football management.

His immediate goal is to shape a revamped squad that has seen considerable changes during the summer transfer window.

Raul Jimenez, Harry Wilson, Issa Diop, and Sasa Lukic have all left the club, while Fulham has significantly invested in their replacements, bringing in Shea Charles, Cesar Palacios, Gonzalo Garcia, and Jonah Kusi-Asare.

Results in pre-season have been varied, with the Cottagers recently falling 2-1 to Crystal Palace and then drawing 2-2 with Malaga.

The match against Malaga concluded in a rather unusual manner as well. Malaga suggested resolving the game with a post-match penalty shootout, but Fulham declined the offer, leaving their opponents to kick the ball into an empty net.

While Fulham has faced challenges in finding consistency during their preparations, Stuttgart has been performing exceptionally well.

The German side has secured victories in four out of five friendly matches, with one draw, scoring a remarkable 25 goals while conceding only four.

However, a significant portion of this success has been against lesser opponents. Nevertheless, Stuttgart had a strong chance to showcase their ability to compete with Premier League teams when they matched up against Everton last week, and they capitalized on it, achieving a notable 3-1 win.

Another Premier League test awaits last season’s DFB-Pokal finalists, as Saturday’s visit to Craven Cottage presents Sebastian Hoeness and his squad with another critical challenge ahead of what promises to be a demanding season.

With a place in the Champions League secured after finishing fourth in the Bundesliga last season, the club has enhanced their squad to manage the increased demands of additional fixtures.

New signings such as Dzenan Pejcinovic, Bilal El Khannouss, and Leo Sauer bring extra quality and depth to a side that will be contending on various fronts.

Team News

Fulham’s head coach Arbeloa has understandably rotated his team throughout all of Fulham’s pre-season matches, and similar adjustments are anticipated on Saturday.

Fulham made a historic investment in acquiring Real Madrid striker Garcia, who is anticipated to start ahead of Rodrigo Muniz this Saturday.

Along with him, new signings Palacios and Charles are also in the running for selection in this final preparation before the Premier League season kicks off.

For Stuttgart, Fabian Bredlow is expected to guard the goal, with substitute keeper Dennis Seimen still recovering from an injury.

Centre-back Dan-Axel Zagadou continues to experience a hamstring injury, making his participation in this weekend’s fixture very unlikely.

Ermedin Demirovic, who has netted 32 goals over the last two seasons for the German side, is certainly a player to keep an eye on for the visitors.

Fulham probable starting XI:

Leno; Chestnuts, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Berge, Charles; Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Bobb; Garcia

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Bredlow; Mittelstadt, Chabot, Jeltsch, Vagnoman; Stiller, Karazor; Fuhrich, El Khannouss, Leweling; Demirovic

With the new season on the horizon, both teams are anticipated to elevate their intensity levels in this final pre-season clash.

Both clubs possess ample quality in their ranks, leading us to expect a draw in what promises to be an exciting encounter.