Champions League football returns to Stuttgart for the first time since 2010 as the Bundesliga outfit welcome Sparta Prague to the MHPArena on Tuesday evening.
A second-place finish in the German top-flight last season saw Sebastian Hoeness’ side return to Europe’s top table, and they deserved much more from their opening encounter of the campaign away at Real Madrid.
Deniz Undav drew Stuttgart level in the second half, but goals from Antonio Rudiger and Endrick sealed a 3-1 win for the holders. Still, Hoeness and company should take great confidence from their showing in the Spanish capital, and they’ve since battered Borussia Dortmund 5-1 in the Bundesliga.
Unlike Stuttgart, Sparta started their league phase on a winning note. They took full advantage of a young and naive RB Salzburg side on Matchday 1, beating them 3-0 on home soil.
However, the visitors head into this game heaving suffered their first domestic defeat of the season at the weekend.
Stuttgart predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Nubel; Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Stiller, Karazor; Rieder, Millot, Leweling; Undav.
Sparta Prague predicted lineup (3-4-3): Vindahl; Zeleny, Vitik, Panak; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Wiesner; Birmancevic, Olatunji, Haraslin,
