Our next opponents: Hoeneß has more options again

Position

The 2-2 draw away to Holstein Kiel last weekend was symptomatic of Stuttgart’s entire season. The Swabians turn in inconsistent performances, sometimes within one game, as against Kiel. Jamie Leweling handed VfB the lead, but they lacked determination to double their advantage. The promoted side bounced back and VfB centre-back Leonidas Stergiou received his marching orders for a challenge as last man. Despite being outnumbered, Stuttgart levelled the scores through Ermedin Demirovic and salvaged a point thanks to passionate defending. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth summarised: “We invested too little in the first half. What we take away from the second half is that the morale was right, but we must be able to take more than a point away from here.”

Stuttgart have gone unbeaten in three away matches but won none of their last four games. They lost 3-1 at home to FC Bayern, drew 1-1 against Hoffenheim and lost 2-1 at home to Wolfsburg before the draw against Kiel. VfB are in the midfield of the table on 37 points from 25 matches, 16 fewer than at the same point last season. Stuttgart finished 26th in the Champions League league phase, outside the play-off spots. Things went better in the DFB Cup, where VfB take on RB Leipzig in the semi-finals at the MHP Arena on 2 April after victories over Preußen Münster, Kaiserslautern, Jahn Regensburg, Augsburg and Bayer 04.

TEAM NEWS

Stuttgart will be without defender Leonidas Stergiou, who serves a two-match ban after his red card against Kiel. They struggled with a lengthy injury roster recently, especially at the back. Centre-backs Dan-Axel Zagadou (collateral ligament problems) and Anrie Chase (torn muscle) as well as midfielders Nikolas Nartey and Luca Raimund (thigh injuries) will miss the match against the Werkself.

Jeff Chabot and Finn Jeltsch return to the squad. Chabot resumed team training this week after being sick. New signing Jeltsch is available again after serving a one-match ban. The two might play at centre-back on Sunday. Defenders Luca Jaquez and Ameen Al Dakhil return to the squad. Sebastian Hoeneß has more options again in attack too. El Bilal Touré made his comeback against Kiel after sustaining a metatarsal fracture in an international for Mali in November 2024. The Atalanta Bergamo loanee played for five minutes and turned in a very good display after three months on the sidelines. The 23-year-old forward is aiming to take the next steps now.

ProblemS

Deniz Undav might start on the bench on Sunday. The Germany international has gone without a goal in five Bundesliga matches. After scoring 18 goals and setting up another ten last season, Undav has scored seven and set up one so far this team. Hoeneß subbed him off at half-time against Kiel, with Ermedin Demirovic taking over and levelling the scores to end his own goal drought. The Bosnian had only scored one goal in 12 competitive matches since December 2024. On nine goals, Demirovic is now once again Stuttgart’s most prolific scorer ahead of Nick Woltemade (eight), who recently challenged the Bosnian for a regular place up front. But Stuttgart’s attacking unit is not as strong as last season, when they had 13 more goals under their belt at this point.

Hoeneß’ men squandered a lead for the fourth time in a row in Kiel. Stuttgart have squandered 15 points after taking the lead so far this season. Only VfL Wolfsburg have given away as many. VfB have conceded the most goals of all Bundesliga teams in the final 15 minutes (11). After boasting the league’s second-best defence on 39 goals conceded last season, Stuttgart are more vulnerable now. Keeper Alexander Nübel has had to pick the ball out of his net 39 times after 25 matchdays so far.

PERFORMERS

VfB have the fourth-most possession behind FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04. The Swabians have created the second-most big chances (81) behind Bayern (125) thanks to their strong passing game. VfB like to attack down the wings, where they have quick and technically gifted players like Chris Führich and Jamie Leweling. 16 players have scored for Stuttgart so far – only the Werkself boast as many. Leverkusen will have to watch out for set pieces. Angelo Stiller & Co. have scored 14 goals from dead-ball situations so far, the third-most of all Bundesliga teams and as many as Bayer 04. Captain Atakan Karazor said his team have to “up the ante again” against the Werkself. Bayer 04 are a different calibre: “We must give it 100 percent, be fully focused and draw even closer together.”