‘If we can do it against Aston Villa, we can do it against Stuttgart too’: Go Ahead Eagles hoping to spring another European surprise | OneFootball

Go Ahead Eagles will welcome Stuttgart to De Andelaarshorst this evening hoping to spring another surprise in the Europa League. The side have won two of their four games so far, which came against Aston Villa and Panathinaikos. It was the Aston Villa result which really stood out, and as it came at home, the club are hoping for a repeat against their Bundesliga opponents Stuttgart.

Head coach Melvin Boel told the press ahead of the game ‘If we can do it against Aston Villa, we can do it against Stuttgart too’. Go Ahead Eagles will need to perform better than they have done in recent weeks. Over their past five games in all competitions they won just two, with three defeats. The victories came against Excelsior and Feyenoord, whereas two of the defeats were against NAC Breda and a resurgent Heracles in the Eredivisie. The other was in the Europa League away to RB Salzburg.

That defeat in Austria means the side currently sit 21st in the Europa League table. With only 24 teams going through to the next phase of the competition, they will need to pick up points to begin to create a buffer between themselves and the side that eventually finishes in 25th.

Their opponents from the Bundesliga are level on points and sit just above them in 20th. Stuttgart have already beaten one Eredivisie side in the competition so far, with a 2-0 victory over Feyenoord at home last time out.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson