Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart Preview: Team News & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava were always expected to be one of the weakest sides in the UEFA Champions League and that has been the case as they now face a resurgent Stuttgart.
Kick-off date/time: Tuesday 21st January, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Slovan Bratislava Preview: Slovakian strugglers
Slovan Bratislava, still coached by Vladimir Weiss, currently sit at the top-of-the-table in the Slovak Super Liga but they haven’t played competitively since they defeated Dunajska Streda by two goals to one last month to remain at the top domestically.
In the UEFA Champions League, they are one of three sides alongside RB Leipzig and Young Boys to have suffered six defeats out of six. They most recently suffered a 3-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano in this competition last month.
Stuttgart Preview: Improving Stuttgart
Sebastian Hoeness had to deal with Bundesliga runners’ up Stuttgart selling several key players over the summer but after a naturally slow start to the campaign as a result of that, they have re-established themselves domestically and are also hunting a top 24 finish in this tournament.
They begin this match day sitting just a point outside of the aforementioned top 24 and the knockout playoffs in the UEFA Champions League. They come into this one on the back of a 4-0 hammering of Freiburg in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
Slovan Bratislava Team News: Limited Slovan
Marko Tolic has returned from suspension after picking up a red card against AC Milan in late-November but he is just one yellow card away from another suspension and the same can also be said for Danylo Ignatenko.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Takac; Bajric, Kashia, Voet; Blackman, Kucka, Savvidis, Medvedev; Barseghyan, Strelec, Mak
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Stuttgart Team News: Undav fitness
Former Brighton and Hove Albion forward and Germany international Deniz Undav, who joined Stuttgart on a permanent basis for a hefty fee last summer, has returned to full fitness recently, although both Dan-Axel Zagadou and Justin Diehl remain long-term first-team absentees.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Neubel; Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Stiller; Rieder, Millot, Fuhrich; Demirovic
Unavailable: Zagadou (Injured), Raimund (Injured), Diehl (Injured)
Questionable:
Key Stats
- The only previous UEFA club competition meetings between these two teams were in the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League qualifying play-offs. A 1-0 away win for Stuttgart in the first leg was followed by a 2-2 draw in the second leg which saw the German team progress.
- Slovan Bratislava have lost their previous six matches in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League this season. This is the first time Slovan have featured in the Champions League proper so they are aiming for their first win.
- The only time a Slovakian team has won a match in the UEFA Champions League proper was a 3-2 victory for Petržalka at Porto in September 2005.
- Only one of Slovan Bratislava’s last 37 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored.
- Slovan Bratislava have won their last three competitive matches at home (all domestic league).
- Stuttgart are unbeaten in their previous six UEFA club competition matches against teams from Slovakia (W4 D2).
- Stuttgart have won only one of their last six UEFA club competition matches away from home (D1 L4).
- Stuttgart have only failed to score in one of their last 17 UEFA club competition matches away from home.
- None of Stuttgart’s last 35 UEFA club competition matches away from home finished without a goal being scored.
- Stuttgart have won their last three competitive matches away from home.
- Stuttgart have won seven of their last eight competitive matches (L1).
Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart Prediction
Vladimir Weiss has always played quite a proactive style of football as a manager and that has been seen with how open Slovan Bratislava have been in the UEFA Champions League, conceding 21 goals in their six matches. They now face a Stuttgart side that have propelled themselves into the top four in the Bundesliga after a remarkably impressive couple of months and a Stuttgart victory is to be expected for this one in the Slovakian capital.
Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart Tip: Stuttgart to win
