VfB Stuttgart will host Celta Vigo at MHPArena on Thursday night as both teams begin their Europa League campaigns.
Stuttgart is participating in consecutive European tournaments for the first time in nearly 15 years, following their experience in the Champions League last season. After securing only three wins from eight group matches, the transition to the Europa League presents a more attainable opportunity for advancement under coach Sebastian Hoeneß.
Following two initial defeats in the new season, Stuttgart has shown signs of improvement, highlighted by a recent 2-0 victory over St. Pauli. However, the team faces challenges due to a poor historical record against Spanish clubs, having lost nine of their last 15 encounters with only two wins.
In terms of team news, Ermedin Demirovic will lead the attack, aiming to extend his streak of goal contributions to four consecutive games. Deniz Undav is sidelined with a knee issue, and Leonidas Stergiou is out due to an ankle injury. Chema Andres, who impressed in the last match, may retain his spot in the lineup.
The predicted formation for Stuttgart is 4-2-3-1: Nübel - Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstädt - Chema, Stiller - Tomas, El Khannouss, Leweling - Demirovic.
Celta Vigo, Stuttgart's Galician opponents, are returning to European competition after a nine-year absence, having finished seventh in La Liga last season. Their last appearance in the Europa League saw them reach the semi-finals in 2017, where they narrowly lost to Manchester United.
Despite their historical successes in continental competitions, including two UEFA Cup quarter-finals and a Champions League round of 16 appearance, Celta is currently struggling domestically. The team has not won any matches this season, with their last five La Liga games ending in draws. The Europa League may offer a much-needed distraction from their relegation concerns.
For Celta, Iago Aspas is anticipated to start, aiming to become the sixth-oldest goalscorer in Europa League history. Marcos Alonso and Williot Swedberg will not be available for selection.
The predicted lineup for Celta Vigo is 3-4-3: Radu - Rodriguez, Dominguez, Alonso - Rueda, Moriba, Sotelo, Mingueza - Aspas, Zaragoza - Iglesias.
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