Stuttgart vs Paris: prediction and odds

Paris Saint-Germain has taken a challenging route this preseason, opting to face opponents primarily from Europe’s top five leagues. For Stuttgart, this match represents their first serious test, though it will take place in comfortable surroundings—their own home training base.

Stuttgart’s Squad Far From Full Strength

Sebastian Hoeneß’s side has established itself as a regular contender in European competition. Last season, they finished fourth in the Bundesliga and came within a whisker of a second consecutive DFB-Pokal triumph, only to fall to a dominant Bayern Munich in the final (0-3). On the international stage, the Swabians didn’t replicate that same consistency, yet they still reached the Round of 16—a feat they last achieved back in 2013.

The club has been relatively quiet on the transfer front so far. The acquisition of Leo Sauer was announced recently: a promising winger, but his previous campaign was marred by a serious injury from which he is still recovering. The signing of Grisha Prömel was confirmed back in May—he appears to be only the fourth-choice option in central midfield, though he is seeing plenty of minutes during preseason. Following Alexander Nübel’s departure, Dennis Seimen was expected to step in as the starting goalkeeper, having gained experience in the 2. Bundesliga, but he is currently sidelined with an injury. Fabian Bredlow is set to take his place.

Drawing broad conclusions from their previous friendlies is difficult: Stuttgart demolished three lower-league German opponents with a combined score of 20-1. Notably, Seimen kept two clean sheets, while Bredlow conceded the only goal. New signing Jovan Milošević and Lazar Jovanović have been in scintillating form, with the Balkan duo netting eight goals between them. We can expect more heroics from them in this match, as nearly all of Stuttgart’s key attacking players, along with chief playmaker Angelo Stiller, are resting after the World Cup.

Paris Spending Big

Antoine Kombouaré delivered impressive results, lifting the club from 15th to an eventual 11th-place finish. However, he failed to agree on a contract extension, prompting the board to turn to the newly available Liam Rosenior. The Englishman’s stint at Chelsea didn’t go to plan, but he previously enjoyed success in Ligue 1, guiding Strasbourg to the Europa Conference League.

Paris has already splashed out nearly €80 million this transfer window. The defense has been reinforced by Diego Coppola, who couldn’t break into Brighton’s first team. The most expensive acquisition is Patrick Zabi—a midfielder who shone in last season’s Coupe de France (2 goals and 1 assist in 5 matches), though he has yet to prove himself at the top level. A significant influx has arrived in attack: Lassin Sinayoko, Pablo Pagé, and Luca Koleosho. The latter’s transfer was only finalized recently, so he hasn’t featured in any friendlies yet. Pagé, however, has scored all three of the team’s preseason goals: the winner against Reims (1-0) and a brace in 36 minutes against Como (2-2).

Meanwhile, Paris has managed to retain all its key players. The only first-team regular absent from the training camp in Germany is Alimami Gori: the winger played a crucial role in their promotion to Ligue 1, but saw limited game time last season (averaging 40 minutes per match). His absence is unlikely to be a significant loss for the squad.

Predicted Lineups for Stuttgart vs. Paris

Stuttgart (4-2-3-1): Bredlow – Vagnoman, Al-Dakhil, Zagadou, Mittelstädt – Prömel, Andres – Buanaani, Nartey, Führich – Milošević

Out: Seimen, Assignon, Sauer, Diehl (all injured); Stiller, El-Hannous, Leweling, Demirović, Undav, Arévalo (all not in squad)

Head Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

Paris (4-3-3): Trapp – Traoré, Coppola, Chergui, De Smet – López, Zabi, Marchetti – Ikoné, Sinayoko, Pagé

Out: Sissoko (injured); Gori (not in squad); Krasso (doubtful)

Head Coach: Liam Rosenior

Prediction and Bet for Stuttgart vs. Paris

Main Prediction: Bookmakers view the Swabians as favorites, but at this moment, they hold no clear advantages beyond home turf—and even that is just a training ground. The German side’s key players have yet to reintegrate into the squad, and their lopsided friendly victories in their absence shouldn’t inflate expectations. After all, the opposition was decidedly weak. The visitors, on the other hand, have performed admirably against Reims and even Como—a team set to feature in the upcoming Champions League. Paris’s squad, especially considering their bench depth, looks at least on par, if not superior. We’re backing Paris not to lose at odds of 2.08.

Total Goals Prediction: Even without Undav, Demirović, Leweling, and Stiller—who supplied them with passes—Stuttgart’s frontline still looks quite formidable. It’s worth noting that a year ago, the hosts played a friendly against Toulouse from Ligue 1, and that match saw a whopping six goals (6-0). Paris’s revamped attack is certainly capable of causing far more problems for the opposition. We’re expecting an entertaining, open game from both sides and are taking over 3.5 goals at odds of 2.10.