Preview: Stuttgart vs Young Boys – prediction, team news, lineups

Either side would welcome a bounce-back victory as top-eight hopefuls Stuttgart host playoff-chasing Young Boys in the final fixture of the Europa League league phase at the MHPArena on Thursday.

A 2-0 defeat at Roma on matchday seven dropped Die Roten to 13th in the 36-team table and two points adrift of the automatic qualification places, while a 1-0 loss to Lyon left the Swiss visitors 23rd and only two points clear of 25th-placed Ludogorets.

Match preview

Stuttgart’s all-or-nothing theme in the league phase continued on a negative note last week in Rome, as Sebastian Hoeness’s side suffered their third defeat of the campaign, conceding either side of half-time to a Niccolo Pisilli brace.

Despite that setback, the German outfit are already guaranteed at least a playoff spot after winning four of their seven matches so far, although attention now turns to sneaking into the automatic qualification places.

With the final three top-eight spots still within reach, Stuttgart will require favourable results elsewhere alongside victory on Thursday, and Die Roten can be confident of taking care of business at their own end, buoyed by a perfect record on their own turf.

The hosts have won all three of their Europa League matches at the MHPArena this season, defeating Celta Vigo, Feyenoord and Maccabi Tel Aviv, scoring at least twice in each and a total of eight goals across those encounters.

Such attacking dominance could continue on Thursday, especially after Stuttgart’s explosive display on Sunday at Borussia-Park, where they beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0 to move up to fourth in the Bundesliga table, with the result also marking Die Roten’s fifth win in their last eight competitive outings (D2, L1).

Young Boys, by contrast, arrive with little momentum to draw upon, having lost each of their last five competitive matches, a run that extends to seven defeats when friendlies are included.

The most recent of those setbacks came in Sunday’s Bernese derby, where they were thrashed 4-1 away at Thun, leaving Gerardo Seoane’s men sixth in the Super League table ahead of the split.

Three days earlier, the Swiss champions suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Lyon in the Europa League, conceding just before the interval to Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s strike; that result means Young Boys have lost four of their seven league-phase matches, scoring eight goals and conceding 13.

While victory on Thursday would guarantee the Bern club’s place in the knockout playoffs, just one win in their last three away matches in the competition (L2) casts doubt over their ability to take full points in Stuttgart.

Young Boys’ most recent continental trip ended in defeat at Aston Villa, with that result forming part of a five-match winless run away from home across all competitions (D1, L4).

That sequence does little to inspire confidence, given the Swiss outfit have lost on both previous visits to Stuttgart, conceding eight goals and scoring just once.

Stuttgart Europa League form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Young Boys Europa League form:

Young Boys form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / Sportfoto Rudel

Stuttgart remain without defensive duo Luca Jaquez and Dan-Axel Zagadou through injury, meaning Jeff Chabot and Finn Jeltsch could once again pair up at the heart of a four-man backline.

Midfielder Lazar Jovanovic is still sidelined with a back issue sustained earlier this month, while forward Tiago Tomas is unavailable due to a muscle problem.

Deniz Undav netted his 11th Bundesliga goal of the season at the weekend, and despite playing more of a creative role in Europe, where he has provided three assists and scored once, the German forward will be eager to make his mark again on Thursday.

Young Boys will be without midfielder Rayan Raveloson, who is suspended after picking up his third booking of the league phase against Lyon.

Defender Ryan Andrews was forced off in Sunday’s defeat at Thun and is now ruled out with a serious knee injury, joining Ebrima Colley, Jaouen Hadjam and Facinet Conte on the sidelines.

 

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Andres; Leweling, Undav, Fuhrich; Demirovic

Young Boys possible starting lineup:

Keller; Janko, Wuthrich, Benito, Mambwa; Lauper, Fernandes; Fassnacht, Sanches, Monteiro; Bedia

We say: Stuttgart 3-1 Young Boys

Stuttgart enter this encounter as clear favourites given their momentum, dominant home record in the competition and historical advantage in this fixture.

Meanwhile, Young Boys are low on confidence and struggling on the road, so Die Roten should secure a comfortable victory on Thursday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.