Crvena Zvezda and VfB Stuttgart Clash in Crucial Champions League Match

The UEFA Champions League returns to Stadion Rajko Mitić on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, as Crvena Zvezda hosts VfB Stuttgart in a highly anticipated match. Both teams are in dire need of points, sitting outside the playoff spots midway through the league phase. The stakes are high, and the match is expected to be an open and entertaining contest.

Crvena Zvezda, the Serbian champions, have struggled defensively in the Champions League this season, conceding a tournament-high 16 goals in four matches. Despite their defensive woes, they have managed to score in three of their four UCL losses, including both home matches against Benfica and Barcelona. The hosts have a history of high-scoring games at home, with BTTS (both teams to score) occurring in 11 of their last 14 UCL matches at Stadion Rajko Mitić.

VfB Stuttgart, on the other hand, come into the match after a comfortable 2-0 win against Bochum in the Bundesliga. However, their recent form has been inconsistent, failing to win five of their last six Bundesliga matches before the win against Bochum. Stuttgart have also seen BTTS in 10 of their last 15 competitive matches, suggesting that this game could see goals from both sides.

Key players for Crvena Zvezda, including Ognjen Mimovic, Bruno Duarte, and Mirko Ivanic, face late fitness tests, while Peter Olayinka is confirmed to be out. For Stuttgart, El Bilal Toure, Deniz Undav, Jamie Leweling, Luca Raimund, and Dan-Axel Zagadou are among the absentees.

This match marks the first-ever meeting between Crvena Zvezda and VfB Stuttgart, adding an extra layer of unpredictability to the encounter. Given the importance of the match and the recent form of both teams, it is expected to be a high-stakes, high-scoring affair).