Stuttgart vs Celta Vigo Prediction: Spaniards to suffer on UEL return

Celta Vigo are back in European competition for the first time since the 2016/17 season, when they reached the semi-finals of the Uefa Europa League. The Spanish side return to the tournament on Thursday (20:00 BST, TNT Sports 5), when they travel to Germany to take on VfB Stuttgart.

Below are my Stuttgart vs Celta Vigo predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this league phase match at MHPArena.

Team News

Justin Diehl (muscle), Silas, Leonidas Stergiou (both ankle), Luca Jaquez (broken nose), Deniz Undav and Fabian Bredlow (both knee) are all still confined to the Stuttgart treatment room, while Ameen Al-Dakhi, Pascal Stenzel, Nikolas Nartey and Yannik Keitel were all left out of Die Roten's European squad for the first half of the season.

Badredine Bouanani, Atakan Karazor and Josha Vagnoman are all in with shouts of starting on Thursday if Sebastian Hoeness decides to freshen his side up following last Friday's 2-0 victory over St Pauli in the Bundesliga.

Football Odds

Celta Vigo pair Marcos Alonso (knee) and Williot Swedberg (ankle) could miss out in Germany, with both absent from Sunday's 1-1 stalemate with Rayo Vallecano.

Among those who could earn promotions to the starting XI on Thursday are Ilaix Moriba, Oscar Mingueza and Iago Aspas.

Today's Football Fixtures

Stuttgart vs Celta Vigo Odds

Stuttgart have won both Bundesliga home games this season without conceding, and Thursday's hosts are 19/20 to record a third consecutive victory at MHPArena, implying a 51.3% probability of success, while another win to nil can be backed at 11/4.

Celta Vigo, who have drawn their last five games 1-1, are 13/5, or a 27.8% chance, to triumph for the first time this term, and a sixth straight 1-1 is priced at 13/2.

The draw, without any scoreline attached, can be backed at 11/4, with both teams to score offered at 4/7.

Match Result - Stuttgart @ 19/20

Celta may have only lost one game this season, but while a five-game unbeaten run sounds good, a five-game winless run does not. They've not played any of last season's top four, either, and the two top-six sides they've faced, Real Betis and Villarreal, have been at home, where they also drew with bottom side Girona and lost 2-0 to Getafe.

The Vigo club have also failed to win away at Real Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano, and could struggle on Thursday in Stuttgart, where the hosts have won both league games this season without conceding.

Stuttgart lost 2-0 and 4-1, respectively, at home to Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain in the league phase of last season's Champions League, but thrashed Young Boys 5-1 at the MHPArena and drew there 1-1 with Sparta Prague.

It may not be pretty, but home advantage and better form should see Stuttgart through to all three points on Thursday.

Player to Receive a Card - Chema Andres (VFB) @ 9/4

Spanish midfielder Chema Andres has made an instant impression at Stuttgart, netting on his Bundesliga debut against Borussia Monchengladbach, before making his first start for the club last Friday.

The 20-year-old played the duration of that win over St Pauli, and is now in with a good chance of starting Thursday's European game.

Should he get the nod in midfield, he looks like a good bet to go into the book, having received 14 yellows and one red in 32 Primera Federacion appearances for Real Madrid B last season. He averaged 1.8 fouls per game in the competition and was penalised for two offences in his first start for Stuttgart last week.

Chema could be in a midfield battle with Celta's Moriba, who averaged 1.8 fouls won per game in La Liga last season.

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