Stuttgart vs Viking: Champions League Clash Preview
VfB Stuttgart step into Champions League lights at the MHPArena on 9 September with a familiar mix of swagger and doubt. Kick-off against Norwegian side Viking is set for 17:45, and both clubs arrive level at the top of the group – a clean slate, but with very different backstories.
Stuttgart’s split personality
Sebastian Hoeness brings a team that has already shown both faces of its season. One week, they are ruthless: a 4-1 dismantling of FC Köln in the Bundesliga, flowing attacks, four goals, crowd purring. The week before, they were torn apart 5-1 by Bayern Munich, their back line exposed and their confidence rattled.
Twelve scored, twelve conceded across their last five matches in all competitions. Chaos, but entertaining chaos.
They have also put four past Hansa Rostock in the DFB-Pokal and beaten Everton 3-1 in pre-season. The other defeat came against Fulham. When Stuttgart click, they overwhelm teams. When they don’t, they leave the door wide open.
Hoeness must now find balance without Chema Andrés. The midfielder left for Brighton on deadline day, trimming Stuttgart’s options and forcing a tactical rethink just as the European campaign begins.
Complicating preparations, there is a familiar figure hovering in the background. New Germany manager Jurgen Klopp has been touring Bundesliga clubs, Stuttgart among them, as he assembles his first national-team picture. His presence around the MHPArena this week adds an extra edge for players eyeing an international call.
Viking arrive with momentum
Viking, for their part, come in battle-hardened from qualifying. Morten Jensen’s side knocked out Dinamo Zagreb over two legs, winning 3-1 before drawing 2-2, a statement result for a club more used to chasing European nights than dictating them.
Domestically, they drew 1-1 with Sandefjord in their latest Eliteserien outing and are unbeaten in their last five in all competitions: two wins, two draws, no defeats, eight scored and five conceded. They also posted a 3-1 cup win away at Brodd. Not spectacular, but solid, and with enough cutting edge to trouble anyone who underestimates them.
There is no historical baggage here. No previous meetings between Stuttgart and Viking are on record, so this is a fresh fixture, a first glimpse of how these sides measure up on the same stage.
Team news: absences on both sides
Hoeness cannot pick from a full deck. Goalkeeper Dennis Seimen and forward Tiago Tomas are ruled out through injury, while Nikolas Nartey is suspended.
The projected Stuttgart XI leans on experience and familiar patterns. Fabian Bredlow is expected to start in goal. In front of him, a back four of Josha Vagnoman, Jeff Chabot, Finn Jeltsch and Maximilian Mittelstaedt offers a blend of physicality and mobility.
Angelo Stiller and Grischa Prömel should anchor midfield, with Jamie Leweling, Chris Führich and Deniz Undav providing the attacking thrust behind centre-forward Dženan Pejčinović. It is a side built to attack, but one that must prove it can hold its shape when the tempo rises.
Viking also travel with key players missing. Veton Berisha, Anders Baertelsen and Sondre Bjørshol are all sidelined through injury, though Jensen has no suspensions to manage.
Arild Østbø is set to start in goal, shielded by a defensive line of Gianni Stensness, Henrik Heggheim, Jesper Daland and Vetle Auklend. In midfield, Kristoffer Askildsen, Joe Bell and Tobias Moi give Viking structure and bite, with Zlatko Tripic, Peter Christiansen and Simen Kvia-Egeskog forming a front line that can punish lapses on the counter.
Both squads carry enough depth to field competitive sides. The question is which bench will matter more once legs tire and space opens up.
Form and stakes
On paper, Stuttgart’s recent record is more volatile, Viking’s more controlled. The Germans have three wins and two defeats from their last five, with wild scorelines at both ends. The Norwegians have quietly stitched together an unbeaten run, scoring regularly without losing their shape.
The standings tell a simpler story: both sit top of the Champions League group heading into this game. Early days, yes, but an opening statement in Europe can set the tone for an entire campaign.
How to watch in the UK
For viewers in the UK, the match will be shown live on TNT Sports 5, with streaming available via HBO Max. Kick-off is at 17:45 from the MHPArena in Stuttgart.
Those abroad who want to access their usual services may need a VPN to navigate geo-restrictions. A reputable VPN allows you to connect through a server in a country where the game is broadcast, then stream through your normal broadcaster on phone, laptop or big-screen TV once the connection is set and your browser cache cleared.
The stage is set: a free-scoring Stuttgart, a disciplined Viking, Klopp watching on, and group leadership on the line. Which version of Stuttgart turns up under the Champions League lights?
