Hamburg vs Stuttgart Preview & Prediction | 2022-23 German Bundesliga Relegation Play-Off Second-Leg
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
THE FACTS
When is Hamburg vs Stuttgart on and what time does it start? Hamburg vs Stuttgart will take place on Monday 5th June, 2023 – 19:45 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Hamburg vs Stuttgart? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What channel is Hamburg vs Stuttgart on in the UK? Sky Sports have the rights to German Bundesliga matches in the UK so it is worth checking their schedule for Hamburg vs Stuttgart
Where can I stream Hamburg vs Stuttgart in the UK? If televised on Sky Sports, Hamburg vs Stuttgart can be streamed live on the Sky Go app
THE LOWDOWN
HAMBURG
The despair continues for Hamburg as a sixth year in the second tier of German football looms large following a nightmare first-leg display in Stuttgart. To think that Tim Walter’s side were just minutes away from automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season before Heidenheim’s dramatic late turnaround in Regensburg. Now it’s looking very much like promotion/relegation play-off misery for the second consecutive season, unless they can produce something very special at the Volksparkstadion.
Conceding in the first minute set the tone for Hamburg in the first-leg and if it wasn’t for the brilliance of goalkeeper Daniel Heuer-Fernandes it would have been even worse. The 30-year-old stopper made a number of crucial saves, including one from the penalty spot. However, Stuttgart doubled their lead in the second half and added a third soon after, compounding Hamburg’s misery. They’ll need to score a minimum of three goals at home in the second-leg to give themselves any hope of replacing Stuttgart in the Bundesliga next season.
STUTTGART
Sebastian Hoeness is one game away from becoming the toast of Stuttgart with Bundesliga survival now in the palm of their hands. They look destined for automatic relegation back in early April when Hoeness rocked up as their new head coach, but an upturn in league form saved them from that fate, instead bumping them into this relegation play-off. As expected, Stuttgart flew out of the blocks in the first-leg at Mercedes-Benz Arena, giving Hamburg no room to breathe. With a mere 47 seconds on the clock, Stuttgart opened the scoring, defender Konstantinos Mavropanosnodding home from a corner to send the home fans wild.
The contest should have been done and dusted in the first half, striker Serhou Guirassy missing two golden opportunities to score. After being put through on goal, Guirassy could only fire straight at Daniel Heuer-Fernandes in the Hamburg goal, before the Guinean international then had a tame penalty saved by Heuer-Fernandes. Fortunately for the hosts, this did not come back to haunt them. After recomposing themselves at half time, two goals within a few minutes of each other finished the job in the second half, Josha Vagnoman doubling the lead before Guirassy finally got his goal soon afterwards.
THE TEAM NEWS
HAMBURG
Tim Walter has rarely changed his starting XI over the course of the season unless injuries have forced his hand. This means he has a really difficult decision to make over what to do here. Will he make sweeping changes or give his team a second chance with their season on the line. Midfielder Laszlo Benes missed the first-leg through injury, but could be passed fit for the return leg. If so, he is likely to slot into central midfield with Sonny Kittel pushed up into the front three, replacing Jean-Luc Dompe. First-leg substitute Anssi Suhonen is suspended following his red card.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Heuer Fernandes; Heyer, David, Schonlau, Muheim; Reis, Meffert, Benes; Jatta, Glatzel, Kittel
UNAVAILABLE: Katterbach (Injured), Megeed (Injured), Nemeth (Injured), Suhonen (Suspended), Vuskovic (Suspended)
QUESTIONABLE: Benes (Injured)
STUTTGART
After winning the first-leg so comprehensively, it would be a surprise if Sebastian Hoeness makes any changes to his starting line-up, unless any unknown injuries have been picked up within his squad. This means sticking to a 4-4-2 formation with Millot and Guirassy up top together. Dan-Axel Zagadou was doubtful leading up to the first-leg, but was passed fit to sit on the bench and eventually came on in the second half. This means that as it stands, the only expected absentee for Stuttgart is striker Thomas Kastanaras.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Muller; Mavropanos, Anton, Ito, Sosa; Vagnoman, Karazor, Endo, Fuhrich; Millot, Guirassy
UNAVAILABLE: Kastanaras (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
With a three-goal deficit to overturn, Hamburg will have no choice but to gamble from the off, throw bodies forward and hope for a miracle, even if it leaves them exposed at the back. Home advantage being in their favour should help and an early goal would get the crowd rocking and the belief back into minds of their players. However, when taking into account their likely ultra-offensive style of play, it’s hard not to see Stuttgart fashioning chances themselves from the extra space expected to be available to their attackers. An entertaining encounter looks very much on the cards from an attacking point of view and regardless of the final result, backing both teams to score has to be favoured.
TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
