The Germans have more quality, but the visitors are capable of scoring: Stuttgart vs Viking prediction
The opening-round Champions League match between Stuttgart and Viking will take place on 9 September at the MHP Arena. The hosts return to Europe's premier club competition after a one-year absence, while the Norwegian side have reached the main stage of a European tournament for the first time in 21 seasons.
Stuttgart: prolific start and strong home run
Sebastian Hoeneß's side have started the season with two wins and one defeat, with their only setback coming against Bayern Munich. Stuttgart have scored nine goals in their opening three matches, underlining the team's considerable attacking potential.
The Germans have looked particularly convincing at home, going unbeaten in their last five matches at the MHP Arena and winning four of them. Their defence has not been flawless, however, which gives their opponents a chance to create opportunities of their own.
Viking: confidence after qualifying
Viking reached the league phase after beating Dinamo Zagreb 5-3 on aggregate. In the Norwegian league, the team sit second with 44 points from 19 matches.
The Norwegians are unbeaten in five consecutive matches across all competitions and have scored 11 goals during that run. Viking have also lost only one of their last seven away matches, so the visitors cannot be written off completely.
Probable line-ups
- Stuttgart: Bredlow, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstädt, Vagnoman, Prömel, Stiller, Führich, Undav, El Khannouss, Pejčinović.
- Viking: Østbø, Heggheim, Stensness, Daland, Haugen, Moi, Bell, Askildsen, Tripić, Christiansen, Kosić.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Stuttgart have scored nine goals in three matches this season.
- The German club are unbeaten in their last five home matches across all competitions.
- Viking are unbeaten in five consecutive matches and have scored 11 goals during that period.
The hosts should get the job done through their attack: Stuttgart vs Viking prediction
Viking are in good form and are capable of exploiting Stuttgart's defensive weaknesses. However, the hosts still hold a clear advantage in terms of squad quality and attacking talent.
If Stuttgart impose a high tempo early on, the Norwegians will find it difficult to withstand the pressure for the entire match. However, a clean-sheet victory for the hosts looks less certain.
