Match Overview

The Matchday 2 fixture of the 2025/26 group stage will see Swiss side Basel host German club Stuttgart on October 2nd at St. Jakob Park. This preview provides an in-depth analysis of the Basel vs. Stuttgart encounter, including a forecast, betting odds, and key statistics.

Basel’s Current Form and Europa League Record

Ludovic Magnin’s squad suffered a 2-1 away defeat to Freiburg in their opening match. This marks only Basel’s third loss in their last ten Europa League fixtures, where they’ve also secured seven victories. Throughout this period, the team has consistently found the back of the net in every game. However, they have conceded at least twice in four of their previous five European outings. The Swiss side currently occupies 25th place in the overall group stage standings.

Key Statistics for Basel at Home

• The team has remained unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 home matches in the Europa League (8 wins, 2 draws).
• The club has conceded no more than one goal in 8 of their last 10 home European encounters.
• Fewer than four goals were scored in 7 of Basel’s last 10 home Europa League fixtures.

Basel’s Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)*

Mirko Salvi – Keigo Tsunemoto, Adrian Barisic, Jonas Adjetey, Dominik Schmid – Arlet Junior Zé, Léo Leroy, Metinho – Xherdan Shaqiri, Albian Ajeti, Ibrahim Salah.

Basel Team News

Defenders Keigo Tsunemoto and Finn van Bremen, midfielder Koba Koindredi, and forward Beni Traoré are expected to miss the upcoming match due to injuries.

Stuttgart’s Recent Performance and European Campaign

Under Sebastian Hoeneß, Stuttgart secured a 2-1 home victory against Celta in their first-round match. This result represents only Stuttgart’s second win in their last six Europa League games (1 draw, 3 losses). Furthermore, the team has failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their previous seven matches in this European competition. The German side currently sits in eighth position in the overall group stage standings.

Key Statistics for Stuttgart Away

• Precisely 2 or 3 goals were scored in 5 of the club’s last 7 away Europa League matches.
• The team has scored in 11 of their last 12 away European fixtures.
• The German side has not won the second half in 6 of their last 8 away Europa League games (3 draws, 3 losses).

Stuttgart’s Predicted Lineup (4-5-1)*

Alexander Nübel – Maximilian Mittelstädt, Finn Jeltsch, Ramon Hendriks, Lorenz Assignon – Bilal El Khannouss, Angelo Stiller, Chema Andrés, Badredine Bouanani, Jamie Leweling – Ermedin Demirović.

Stuttgart Team News

Forward Deniz Undav is set to miss the fixture due to injury.

The Referee

Davide Massa (Italy)

Referee Statistics

Matches officiated – 17 (International fixtures, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 52;

Average yellow cards per match – 3.1;

Red cards shown – 3;

Average fouls per match – 19;

Penalties awarded – 24%.

Match Prediction: Basel vs Stuttgart

Playing on their home turf, the Swiss team exhibits strong confidence. Basel favors an aggressive attacking style and consistently finds the back of the net: in their last 19 home Europa League matches, the club failed to score only once. Moreover, they breached their opponents’ defense at least twice in 12 of these encounters. Basel has also scored in their last three Europa League clashes against German opponents.

Stuttgart, too, is not one to sit back in defense; they prioritize attack whenever possible. The German side demonstrates no issues with scoring, even when playing away: in their last 11 away Europa League matches, the team has scored, and in seven of those games, they managed at least two goals. However, the Swabians’ defensive record is less robust, having conceded in 6 of their last 8 away Europa League fixtures.

Given both teams’ attacking tendencies and defensive vulnerabilities, I anticipate both sides will score in this match. My prediction is: ‘Both Teams to Score – Yes’ with odds of 1.52.

Important Note

*The indicated starting lineup for each team reflects their formation in their previous match in this tournament.