Stuttgart take on the visitors Celta Vigo in the round 1 match of UEFA Europa League group stage. The match will be played on Thursday, September 25th at MHPArena (Stuttgart).
Stuttgart not long ago had to fight for their Bundesliga status through relegation play-offs. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß, who succeeded there, guided his team to second place in 2023/2024, finishing above Bayern! But of course, they couldn’t consolidate that high position, especially after top scorer Guirassy left. Their Champions League campaign was disappointing, and in the Bundesliga their form quickly dipped to mid-table. Still, they managed to lift the DFB-Pokal, which balanced out all setbacks. In the new edition of that tournament, they almost crashed out immediately, drawing 4-4 with Braunschweig and only eliminating Eintracht Frankfurt in a penalty shootout, 8-7. Their season began with a predictable Supercup defeat to Bayern, followed by losses against Union and Freiburg, with only a win over Gladbach as relief. In the most recent round against St. Pauli, they showed more resilience and looked sharper in attack. Despite inconsistencies, Stuttgart’s pressing and pace in transitions remain dangerous, and their home form has generally been reliable.
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Celta are performing worse than last season. The Galicians have not been particularly successful, though occasionally they pull off positive results. Not too long ago, they even reached the Europa League play-offs. But in recent years they have mostly fought for survival, constantly changing coaches. That’s how current boss Claudio Giráldez replaced the underperforming Benítez. After saving the club from relegation in 2024, Giráldez then guided Celta to a strong 7th-place finish with 55 points the following season, earning a return to the Europa League. Now, however, results have been weaker, even considering a tough schedule: after a 0-2 defeat to Getafe, they drew 1-1 with Mallorca, Betis, Villarreal and Girona. In their last match against Rayo Vallecano, they again failed to secure three points and lacked cutting edge in front of goal. Celta’s defense looks solid enough, but their attack is overly reliant on Iago Aspas, who is struggling to deliver consistently this term. The lack of creativity in midfield is becoming a major concern for Giráldez’s side.
In February 2001, in the UEFA Cup play-offs, the Spaniards won 2-1 at home after a goalless draw away. This summer, they managed another 2-1 victory over the Germans in a friendly. The Swabians still look fairly strong, especially at home. The bet is on their win.
Prediction for the match: Stuttgart to win.
