Dusseldorf vs Stuttgart II Prediction & Betting Tips (28 August)

Fortuna Düsseldorf welcome VfB Stuttgart II to the Merkur Spiel-Arena on Friday, August 28, 2026, for a crucial German 3. Liga Round 3 fixture. Kick-off is scheduled for 17:00 UTC in front of what is expected to be another passionate home crowd, with the Flingeraner desperate to register their first points of the 2026/2027 campaign after a difficult start to life in the third tier following last season's relegation from the 2. Bundesliga.

The home side's squad for the 2026/2027 season features several experienced heads who will be vital in this relegation battle, including former VfB Stuttgart and VfL Bochum midfielder Philipp Förster, ex-Germany U21 centre-back Dominique Heintz, and defensive midfielder Jorrit Hendrix, while summer signing Eric Hotmann leads the line alongside Fabian Schleusener and Florent Muslija. However, Alexander Ende's side has endured a nightmare beginning to the campaign, sitting 18th with zero points from two matches after a 1-2 defeat at Waldhof Mannheim and a 0-2 home loss to Hoffenheim II, compounded by a demoralizing 1-5 DFB Pokal exit against Freiburg on August 23.

VfB Stuttgart II arrive in Düsseldorf with a more encouraging start to their 3. Liga season, occupying 11th place with three points from two games following a 3-2 away victory at Havelse and a 1-3 home reverse against Viktoria Köln. The young Swabians' squad for 2026/2027 is built around creative midfielder Nicolás Sessa and captain Alexander Groiss, with forwards Jordan Majchrzak, David Preu, and Oliver Rölke providing attacking threat, though the visitors remain without several key players including Eliot Bujupi, Michael Gluck, and Tim Kohler through injury. Stuttgart II demonstrated their potential in pre-season with a dominant 4:0 triumph over SSV Ulm 1846, a result that showcased the quality this youthful side can produce on their day.

European odds for this encounter heavily favour the hosts, with Fortuna Düsseldorf available at around 1.57, the draw priced at approximately 4.55, and a Stuttgart II victory offered at 5.06, while the Over 2.5 goals market sits at a tempting 1.44 given both teams' defensive vulnerabilities. Despite Düsseldorf's poor form, their superior individual quality and the fortress-like atmosphere of the Merkur Spiel-Arena should prove decisive against a depleted Stuttgart II reserve side, and our prediction is a 3:1 home win that would finally get Fortuna's promotion push up and runn