Stuttgart vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Prediction: Maccabi’s faint qualification extinguished in Germany

Maccabi Tel Aviv have picked up just a single point from their first five league-phase games in the 2025/26 Uefa Europa League, and things don't get any easier for them on Thursday (17:45 GMT, TNT Sports 9) as they take on VfB Stuttgart, eight points ahead in the table, at MHPArena in Germany.

Below are my Stuttgart vs Maccabi Tel Aviv predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Jeff Chabot is suspended for Stuttgart after receiving a yellow card in each of his three Europa League appearances this season.

Silas, Justin Diehl (both ankle), Dan-Axel Zagadou, Luca Jaquez (both muscle), Yannik Kietel (thigh) and Ermedin Demirovic (foot) miss out due to injury.

Football Odds

Sagiv Jehezkel is serving a ban for Maccabi Tel Aviv after being sent off in their 6-0 hammering by Olympique Lyonnais last time out in the competition.

Forward Ion Nicolaescu and midfielder Issouf Sissokho are both doubtful for Thursday's match with unspecified issues.

Stuttgart vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Odds

Stuttgart have a 100% record at home in this season's Europa League, beating Celta Vigo 2-1 and Feyenoord 2-0. Thursday's hosts are 1/6 to make it three wins from three at MHPArena, implying an 85.7% probability of success, while Maccabi, who are yet to score on their travels, drawing 0-0 with PAOK and losing 2-0 to Aston Villa, are 14/1, or a 6.7% chance, to shock the Germans, with the draw priced at 6/1.

To Win to Nil - Stuttgart @ 10/11

Stuttgart will be looking to land a third straight win to nil in the competition, having beaten Feyenoord 2-0 on home soil on November 6 before thrashing Go Ahead Eagles 4-0 in the Netherlands 21 days later.

Maccabi, meanwhile, have blanked in four of their five league-phase matches, and they've lost their last three in the competition without scoring, against Midtjylland (0-3), Aston Villa (2-0) and Lyon (0-6).

Today's Football Fixtures

Maccabi are destined to finish outside the top 24, so I don't see much motivation on their part here, while Stuttgart are still gunning for a top-eight finish, which would see them avoid a play-off place.

That, plus the superior quality in their ranks, makes Stuttgart To Win to Nil my best bet for Thursday's game.

Player to Score 2 or More Goals - Deniz Undav (VFB) @ 7/2

Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav has been in scintillating form over the past month or so, scoring eight goals and registering two assists in his last seven appearances.

The 29-year-old has scored 2+ goals in a couple of those games, bagging a brace in his side's 3-2 victory over Augsburg on November 9 before going one better and hitting a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw at Borussia Dortmund 13 days later.

Undav will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a Maccabi defence that has shipped 14 goals in the league phase, including six last time out against Lyon, and he's more than capable of netting a couple at home on Thursday.