VfB Stuttgart v Viking prediction: lineups, team news & tips

VfB Stuttgart open their Champions League league phase at home to Viking, who arrive fresh from seeing off Dinamo Zagreb in the play-off round. Predictions, team news and betting tips.

Jon Fisher

Published

Tue 8 Sept, 18:13

Updated

Wed 9 Sept, 14:23

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VfB Stuttgart open their Champions League league phase campaign against Viking on Wednesday, the first of eight games in the newly expanded format. Bet365 make the hosts overwhelming favourites at 1/4, with Viking out at a general 19/2 and the draw priced at 13/2.

Stuttgart go into the fixture without any league phase points on the board yet this term, this being their first European outing of the season. Viking arrive with a two-legged play-off already navigated, and know a strong start away from home would settle any early nerves in the new format.

VfB Stuttgart

3–1

Full time

Viking

Wed 9 Sept, 17:45•MHPArena

Stuttgart's route to Matchday 1 is a straightforward one on paper: this is simply their opening fixture of the competition proper, with no European action recorded for them yet this season.

Viking had to work harder for their place. They drew 2-2 away at Dinamo Zagreb before winning the return leg 3-1 at home, going through 5-3 on aggregate. That home win produced three goals in a single game, their biggest attacking return of the two legs, while the away draw showed they can find the net on the road too.

Neither side is likely to experiment heavily here. Points on the opening day of the 36-team league phase carry real weight given how tight the qualification places can become, and both clubs will want their strongest available group out from the first whistle.

Stuttgart's team sheet will be shaped more by absentees than by any deliberate rotation, with a lengthy injury and suspension list forcing changes regardless of the manager's preference.

Last 6 · most recent left

VfB Stuttgart

No recent formW0 D0 L0

Viking

No recent formW0 D0 L0

Champions League · season 2026 · UEFA Champions LeagueLive snapshot

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
5	Como	1	1	0	0	+3	3
6	VfB Stuttgart	1	1	0	0	+2	3
7	Sporting CP	1	1	0	0	+2	3
8	Manchester City	1	1	0	0	+2	3
9	Aston Villa	1	1	0	0	+1	3
10	Lens	1	1	0	0	+1	3
11	Real Betis	1	1	0	0	+1	3
12	Borussia Dortmund	1	1	0	0	+1	3
13	Liverpool	1	1	0	0	+1	3
14	Real Madrid	1	1	0	0	+1	3
15	Arsenal	1	1	0	0	+1	3
16	AEK Athens FC	1	1	0	0	+1	3
17	AS Roma	1	0	1	0	0	1
18	Shakhtar Donetsk	1	0	1	0	0	1
19	PSV Eindhoven	1	0	1	0	0	1
20	Fenerbahçe	1	0	1	0	0	1
21	Villarreal	1	0	0	1	-1	0
22	Lille	1	0	0	1	-1	0
23	Slavia Praha	1	0	0	1	-1	0
24	Club Brugge KV	1	0	0	1	-1	0
25	Inter	1	0	0	1	-1	0
26	Atletico Madrid	1	0	0	1	-1	0
27	Napoli	1	0	0	1	-1	0
28	Lask Linz	1	0	0	1	-1	0
29	Viking	1	0	0	1	-2	0
30	Galatasaray	1	0	0	1	-2	0

Champions League

Last 1 meetings · most recent first

9 Sept 26VfB Stuttgart3–1VikingVfB Stuttgart

Home wins

Draws

Away wins

Goals · H / A

3 / 1

VfB Stuttgart4-2-3-1

1GF. Bredlow
18DJ. Leweling
29DFinn Jeltsch
24DJ. Chabot
7DM. Mittelstädt
21MG. Prömel
6MA. Stiller
11MB. El Khannouss
26MD. Undav
10MC. Führich
9FE. Demirović

Manager · S. Hoeneb

Viking4-3-3

1GA. Østbø
5DH. Heggheim
6DG. Stensness
27DJ. Daland
28DK. Haugen
29MT. Moi
8MJ. Bell
7MK. Askildsen
16FH. Bjørdal
20FP. Christiansen
10FZ. Tripić

Manager · B. Aarsheim

Kick-off at the MHPArena is at 17:45 BST on Wednesday 9 September. The exact UK broadcaster for this fixture had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so check closer to kick-off for the live listings. As a league phase fixture, the result stands after 90 minutes with no extra time or penalties in play.

Viking beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-1 at home on 26 August 2026 having drawn 2-2 away on 18 August, going through 5-3 on aggregate in the play-off round.
Viking are averaging 2.5 goals for and 1.5 against across their two most recent Champions League matches, with both games producing at least four goals combined.
Bet365 have Stuttgart at 1/4 to win, with the draw at 13/2 and a Viking win at 19/2.
Bet365 price over 2.5 goals at 22/100 (1.22) and both teams to score at 1/2 (1.50) for this fixture.

Headline prediction · our pick

✓ HitConfidence · high

match result: vfb stuttgart to win

Stuttgart are priced at 1/4 for a reason. Even shorn of six players, including both fit senior goalkeepers, they should have enough at home to a Viking side who have conceded in every game they have played this season. Viking have scored in both their recent outings too, so a routine but not one-sided scoreline looks the shape of this one.

Best Price1/4bet365 · score 3-1

✓ Prediction landed

TIP 01✓ Hit

Correct Score: 3-1

Stuttgart's home odds of 1/4 point to a comfortable win rather than a one-sided rout, and Viking have scored in both their recent Champions League fixtures. A 3-1 scoreline fits both the market's confidence in the hosts and Viking's habit of finding the net even in defeat.

TIP 02✓ Hit

Over 2.5 Goals: Over

Bet365 have over 2.5 goals at 1.22, among the shortest prices on the whole match. Viking's own numbers back it up: they are averaging 2.5 goals for and 1.5 against across their last two games, a combined rate well clear of three goals a match. Stuttgart's threadbare defensive options only add to the case for goals at both ends.

TIP 03✓ Hit

Both Teams to Score: Yes

Viking have found the net in each of their last two Champions League matches, home and away, and Stuttgart's makeshift back line and third-choice goalkeeper are far from ideal for keeping a clean sheet. Bet365's 1.50 price on BTTS looks fair rather than generous given both sides' recent scoring habits.

TIP 04✗ Miss

Anytime Goalscorer: D. Undav

Undav leads the line for a Stuttgart side heavily favoured at home, and with the visitors having conceded in every recent fixture, the goal supply should be there. He is the obvious focal point of the attack named in the predicted XI.

TIP 05✓ Hit

Draw No Bet: Home

For backers nervous about backing a patched-up Stuttgart XI outright, Draw No Bet at 1.06 removes the draw from the equation entirely. Given the hosts are 1/4 in the straight match odds market, this is a low-risk way of taking the same view with insurance against a stalemate.

Build the VfB Stuttgart v Viking bet

BetFootball Builder · 3 Legs✗ Miss

Home Win

✓ Hit

Match Result

1/4

The foundation of the builder. Stuttgart's home odds of 1/4 reflect the gap in resources even with six players missing, and pairing it with a goals market and a named scorer builds out the same view rather than contradicting it.

Over

✓ Hit

Over 2.5 Goals

2/9

Viking's 2.5 goals-for average and leaky recent defence make a low-scoring home win unlikely. This leg captures the goalmouth action the Match Result leg alone would miss.

D. Undav

✗ Miss

Anytime Goalscorer

6/5

If the goals and the home win both land, Stuttgart's central striker is the most probable source of at least one of them, tying the builder together without duplicating the same market twice.

Combined Price

40/17

Stake£10.00

Returns£33.55

Profit+£23.55

VfB Stuttgart v Viking prediction: lineups, team news & tips

Matchday 1 arrives at the MHPArena

Path to the league phase for Stuttgart and Viking

Rotation unlikely on Matchday 1

Line-ups

Where to watch VfB Stuttgart v Viking: TV and online streams

Stats for VfB Stuttgart v Viking