AS Roma vs VfB Stuttgart
AS Roma will host VfB Stuttgart in one of the biggest games on Matchday 7 of the 2025-26 Europa League this Thursday, as both teams aim to sneak into the Top 8, which would give them an automatic Round of 16 berth.
As of this writing, VfB Stuttgart and AS Roma are ninth and 10th in the standings with 12 points each – three points adrift of the Top 3. Both sides have identical records of four wins and two losses, including winning each of their last three league phase matches.
The game will be played at Stadio Olimpico, and the hosts are coming off a 2-0 win against Torino last Sunday in Serie A. Meanwhile, VfB Stuttgart are on a six-game unbeaten run, including last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Talking Points
Malen makes instant impact for AS Roma but is ineligible
Citing the need to have a stronger competition at the striker position, AS Roma acquired Donyell Malen and Robinio Vaz in the ongoing winter transfer window from Aston Villa and Marseille, and the former has already left a huge impression in his first appearance for the Giallorossi.
During their 2-0 win over Torino, Malen started up front, with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala behind him, and the Aston Villa loanee asserted himself from the get-go. He attempted his first shot in the sixth minute, but it was from the 20th onwards that he and Dybala took over the match.
Malen received a lovely pass from Dybala inside the box and coolly converted at the near post to open his Giallorossi account. A few minutes later, Malen returned the favour by drawing multiple Torino defenders before returning the ball to Dybala, whose shot went wide on the right side of the goal. Vaz eventually replaced Malen in the 76th minute, but the damage had already been done.
However, since Malen is ineligible for Thursday, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini will likely roll with Evan Ferguson as the starting No. 9, as the Irishman has recently recovered from the knock he picked up against Sassuolo earlier this month.
Besides Malen, the Giallorossi will be without Mario Hermoso (hip), Artem Dovbyk (groin), Zeki Celik (thigh), and Pierluigi Gollini (thigh) against Die Schwaben.
Key absences for VfB Stuttgart
Perhaps we spoke too soon about VfB Stuttgart having a more complete squad, as this isn’t the case against AS Roma. Sebastian Hoeneß’ side is expected to be without Tiago Tomas, Luca Jaquez, Dan-Axel Zagadou, and Lazar Jovanovic due to injuries. Bilal El Khannouss is also unlikely to feature after playing for Morocco in their Africa Cup of Nations final loss to Senegal on Sunday. Angelo Stiller is also questionable to play after he was forced off in their draw against Union Berlin.
Either way, Die Schwaben will continue to rely on the attacking quartet of Deniz Undav, Jamie Leweling, Chris Fuhrich, and Ermedin Demirovic.
History
Thursday marks the first encounter between AS Roma and VfB Stuttgart. While these two sides have yet to face each other, they both have a long history against sides from the opposing nation.
VfB Stuttgart have only won four of their past 15 matches against Italian opposition, with their last win coming against Juventus (1-0) in last season’s Champions League during the league phase. Meanwhile, AS Roma have played 44 matches against German clubs, notching 20 victories, six draws, and 18 defeats.
Die Schwaben failed to qualify for the knockouts after finishing 26th in last season’s Champions League standings with only 10 points. The Giallorossi reached the Europa League Round of 16, eventually losing to Athletic Bilbao.
Betting Tip
The SBOTOP Europa League 2026 odds are giving the hosts the edge to take maximum points on Thursday night. AS Roma are at 2.00 odds to win, whereas VfB Stuttgart are priced at 3.35, and a draw is at 3.30 in the 1X2 market.
Both teams should put up new Europa League 2026 highlights at Stadio Olimpico, given their collective quality and firepower. With that said, bettors may also want to add alternatives like Over 2.50 at 1.76, Over 2.75 at 2.01, and Total Goals 2-3 at 2.01 to the parlay.
Given that the hosts are favoured in this fixture, any Correct Score in favour of Die Schwaben, starting at 1-0, offers a tidy payday of at least 11.50. On the other hand, a goalless draw between these two sides could yield up to 12.50 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
