Preview: Stuttgart vs Porto – prediction, team news, lineups & more related news here

In what will be the inaugural meeting between the two teams, Stuttgart will host Porto at the MHPArena on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie.

Die Roten achieved a 4-2 aggregate victory over Celtic in the playoffs, while the Portuguese visitors qualified for this stage after finishing in the top eight of the league stage standings.

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Match preview

Having claimed a convincing 4-1 first leg win in Glasgow, Stuttgart would have needed a major collapse to lose their playoff tie against Celtic and indeed a 1-0 defeat in the second leg proved inconsequential to Die Roten’s progression.

The only flaw in that result is that it remains the only game in which Sebastian Hoeness’s men have failed to score in their last 11 games in all competitions (7 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses), a run that also included a victory over Young Boys in their final league match to secure an 11th place finish in the 36-team standings.

Reaching the last 16 of the competition for the second time this century, the 1988-89 (then UEFA Cup) finalists will continue their quest for a first continental trophy on Thursday and can be optimistic about taking control of their tie against Porto, buoyed by their strong form at the MHPArena.

Die Roten have won five of their seven competitive matches at this ground since the start of the year (D1, L1), scoring at least three goals in four of those matches, although coach Hoeness will look for greater defensive solidity as Stuttgart have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last five continental matches.

There is also a patchy run to improve, with the Reds failing to win three of their last four games (D2, L1), including a 2-2 draw in Mainz last Saturday, leaving the Swabians fourth in the standings. Bundesliga tableahead of Leipzig, fifth placed, only on goal difference.

Porto, meanwhile, come into this clash off the back of a 2-2 draw in last weekend’s O Classico at Benfica, where Francesco Farioli’s men squandered a two-goal lead when first-half goals from Victor Froholdt and Oskar Pietuszewski were disallowed after the break.

Despite that slip, the Dragons maintain a four-point lead at the top of the standings. Primeira Liga standingsalthough the result further exposed their away struggles as they also suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Taca de Portugal semi-final against Sporting Lisbon five days earlier.

As such, Porto have won just one of their last five away games (D2, L2), while they are also winless in their last three trips to the Europa League (D2, L1), but the Portuguese giants secured fifth place in the 36-team table following a 3-1 home win over Rangers on matchday eight of the league phase.

That result ensured the Dragons improved on last season’s campaign, when they were eliminated by Roma in the Europa League playoffs, and will now look to reach the quarter-finals of the competition for the second time since lifting the trophy in 2010-11.

Stuttgart’s Europa League form:

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

Porto Europa League Form:

Porto form (all competitions):

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Team news

Stuttgart will again be without Lazar Jovanovic, who continues to suffer from a back injury, while Josha Vagnoman could be unavailable for the third game in a row due to a thigh problem.

Bilal El Khannouss missed the weekend’s league match due to accumulating yellow cards in the Bundesliga, but is available to play on the continental stage this Thursday.

Die Roten have no players on the UEFA sanctions list, although Maximilian Mittelstadt, Angelo Stiller and Deniz Undav are one yellow card away from being banned.

Also walking the disciplinary tightrope for Porto are defenders Dominik Prpic, Jan Bednarek and Alberto Costa, who have received two yellow cards each in the competition.

In terms of injuries, the Portuguese visitors will be without attackers Samu Omorodion and Luuk de Jong, who will be sidelined for the remainder of the season with knee injuries.

Long-term absentee Nehuen Pérez continues to recover from an Achilles tendon problem, while Martim Fernandes is a major doubt after being taken off in the second half of the weekend’s clash due to physical discomfort.

Stuttgart’s possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Assignón, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, quieter; El Khannouss, Undav, Leweling; Demirovich

Porto’s possible starting lineup:

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

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We say: Stuttgart 2-1 Porto

 

Both teams have been unconvincing in recent meetings, but Stuttgart’s strong record at home could prove decisive, especially with Porto struggling on the road.

While Die Roten have been an explosive offensive force in the MHPArena, they face a Porto team known for their defensive organization, meaning the match may not produce a flurry of goals even if both teams possess enough quality to find the net.

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

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