Stuttgart vs Porto – News and Probable Lineups

In their first-ever encounter, Stuttgart will host Porto at the MHPArena this Thursday for the opening leg of their Europa League round-of-16 matchup.

Die Roten progressed with a 4-2 aggregate win over Celtic in the playoffs, while the Portuguese visitors secured their place in this stage by finishing in the top eight of the league-phase standings.

Match overview

Having achieved a remarkable 4-1 win in the first leg in Glasgow, Stuttgart would have needed a significant collapse to lose their playoff against Celtic. A 1-0 loss in the return leg did not affect Die Roten’s advancement.

The only downside from that match is that it remains the only game in which Sebastian Hoeness’s squad has not found the back of the net in their last 11 encounters across all competitions (W7, D2, L2). This stretch included a victory against Young Boys in their last league-phase match, which secured an 11th-place finish in the 36-team standings.

Having reached the round of 16 in this tournament for the second time this century, the 1988-89 finalists – then competing in the UEFA Cup – will continue their quest for a first continental trophy this Thursday and can be optimistic about taking control against Porto, thanks to their strong home performance at the MHPArena.

Die Roten have celebrated five wins in seven competitive matches at their home ground since the start of the year (D1, L1), scoring at least three goals in four of those fixtures. However, manager Hoeness will be aiming for better defensive performance as Stuttgart has not kept a clean sheet in their last five continental outings.

Additionally, the team has been on a mixed form, with the Reds unable to secure a win in three of their last four matches (D2, L1), including a 2-2 draw against Mainz last Saturday, placing the Swabians fourth in the Bundesliga standings, just ahead of fifth-placed Leipzig on goal difference.

On the other hand, Porto heads into this match following a 2-2 draw in last weekend’s O Classico against Benfica, where they squandered a two-goal lead thanks to first-half goals from Victor Froholdt and Oskar Pietuszewski being equalized after halftime.

Despite this setback, the Dragons maintain a four-point lead at the top of the Primeira Liga table, although the result emphasized their challenges away from home, having also suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Taca de Portugal semi-final against Sporting Lisbon just five days prior.

Consequently, Porto has secured only one win in their last five away fixtures (D2, L2) and has also failed to win in their last three Europa League away games (D2, L1). Nevertheless, the Portuguese giants finished fifth in the 36-team table following a 3-1 home victory over Rangers on matchday eight of the league phase.

This outcome marked an improvement over their previous season when they were eliminated by Roma in the Europa League playoffs, and now they will aim to reach the quarterfinals of this competition for only the second time since lifting the trophy in the 2010-11 season.

Team News

Stuttgart will again be without Lazar Jovanovic, who continues to recover from a back injury, while Josha Vagnoman could miss a third consecutive match due to a thigh issue.

Bilal El Khannouss was absent from the weekend’s league game due to an accumulation of yellow cards in the Bundesliga but is eligible to play in this continental fixture this Thursday.

Die Roten currently have no players on UEFA’s suspension list, though Maximilian Mittelstadt, Angelo Stiller, and Deniz Undav are each one caution away from receiving a match ban.

Porto also has defenders Dominik Prpic, Jan Bednarek, and Alberto Costa walking a disciplinary tightrope, with each having accumulated two yellow cards in the competition.

In terms of injuries, the Portuguese side will be without attackers Samu Omorodion and Luuk de Jong, who are both sidelined for the remainder of the season due to knee injuries.

Long-term absentee Nehuen Perez continues his recovery from an Achilles tendon issue, while Martim Fernandes is a significant doubt after being substituted in the second half of the weekend match due to physical discomfort.

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Nubel; Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; El Khannouss, Undav, Leweling; Demirovic

Porto probable starting XI:

D Costa; A Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Zaidu; Froholdt, Varela, Veiga; Pepe, Gul, Gomes

Both teams have demonstrated inconsistency in their recent performances, but Stuttgart’s solid home record could be pivotal, especially with Porto encountering difficulties in away matches.

While Die Roten have been a formidable attacking presence at the MHPArena, they will face a Porto team known for its defensive discipline, indicating that the fixture might not yield an abundance of goals, even though both squads have sufficient quality to score.