Stuttgart vs Viking Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
Stuttgart are an entertaining team and will be full of confidence as they return to the UEFA Champions League with the visit of Norwegian champions Viking to Germany.
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Stuttgart preview: Good result at the weekend
Stuttgart began their 2026-27 Bundesliga season with a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena but that forgivable capitulation was followed by an impressive 4-1 demolition of Cologne in their most recent outing at the weekend.
Sebastian Hoeness is one of the most highly-rated young coaches in European football and Stuttgart have been brilliant to watch throughout his tenure as they now attempt to show that on the biggest stage of them all in the UEFA Champions League.
Viking preview: Emulating Bodo
In the 2025 Eliteserien campaign, Viking managed to hold off Bodo/Glimt, who reached the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League with victories against Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Internazionale, to win their first league title since 1991.
Viking will now be aiming to emulate their compatriots in the UEFA Champions League this season. The Norwegians overcame Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb by three goals to one on aggregate in the play-off round last month.
Stuttgart team news: Nartey suspended
Nikolas Nartey is kicking off his UEFA Champions League campaign missing through suspension, while summer signing Tiago Tomas is now dealing with an injury.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Bredlow; Vagnoman, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; El Khannouss, Promel, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, Pejcinovic
Unavailable: Siemen (Injured), Jaquez (Injured), Nartey (Suspended), Tomas (Injured), Diehl (Injured)
Questionable: Zagadou (Injured)
Viking team news: A few issues
Having stayed put at Viking amid reported interest from the likes of Southampton and Wrexham, Henrik Falchener is a key doubt for the trip to Stuttgart due to a thigh issue with fellow defender Nick D’Agostino also potentially unavailable. They have sold Edvin Austbo to West Ham United since qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ostbo; Heggheim, Stensness, Auklend, Haugen; Moi, Bell, Askilsden; Tripic, Christiansen, Kvia-Egeskog
Unavailable: Ove Roseth (Injured), Baertelsen (Injured), Berisha (Injured)
Questionable: Falchener (Injured), D’Agostino (Injured)
Stuttgart vs Viking prediction
Viking have shown that they can be competitive in Europe even away from home, with a 2-2 draw against Dinamo, but there is an expectation that their points will largely simply come at home in the league phase. Stuttgart have kept most of their strong squad intact, even with the departure of Chema Andres to Brighton and Hove Albion, and they should get themselves off to a strong start in the league phase on Wednesday.
Stuttgart vs Viking Tip: Stuttgart to win
