5 reasons why VfB Stuttgart will beat Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League
VfB Stuttgart return to UEFA Champions League action when Paris Saint-Germain come calling at the MHPArena on the eighth and final league phase matchday on Wednesday. bundesliga.com offers five reasons that last season's Bundesliga runners-up will come out on top against the French champions as they seek to secure their place in the last 16 play-offs...
1) Perfect record so far in 2025
Stuttgart have been on an absolute tear so far in 2025, winning all four of their competitive matches since the turn of the year. Three Bundesliga wins on the bounce - 1-0 in Augsburg, 2-1 at home to RB Leipzig and 4-0 against Freiburg - took them to fourth in the table. Meanwhile, a 3-1 Champions League win away to Slovan Bratislava on Matchday 7 revived their hopes of a place in the play-offs of Europe's top club competition
Watch: Stuttgart blew Freiburg away on Matchday 18
2) Firing on all cylinders
Key to Stuttgart's impressive recent form has been their razor-sharp performances in attack. Fit-again Germany striker Deniz Undav has led the way with two goals (including the winner in Augsburg) and two assists, but it is his knack for bringing the best out of his teammates that is perhaps his more important contribution.
Sebastian Hoeneß's side have scored a total of 10 goals in 2025 - that's an average of 2.5 per match - with Undav's fellow striker Ermedin Demirović adding a club-high eighth of the season against Freiburg and Germany winger Jamie Leweling scoring twice - from as many touches - against Bratislava (with one assist from Undav).
So, with Enzo Millot (four league goals), Jacob Bruun Larsen and Chris Führich always a supplementary threat, PSG's Brazil captain Marquinhos and central defensive partner Willian Pacho (formerly of Eintracht Frankfurt) will have clearly have their work cut out for them.
Watch: Stuttgart's Mr. Unpredictable, Deniz Undav
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3) The Fixer: Maximilian Mittelstädt
While the above-mentioned trio have been getting into dangerous positions and firing in the goals, Maximilian Mittelstädt has been instrumental from the left flank, creating space and delivering the ammunition. The Germany left-back not only leads the Bundesliga for crosses from open play (59), he is also the club's co-top assist provider, with four in the league and two in the Champions League.
While Mittelstädt's skill in sending precision balls high into the area could well exploit PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma's weakness in that domain, his combative style (148 tackles won in the league this season) will be key in keeping the Parisians' right-flank duo of Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembélé (both formerly of Borussia Dortmund) quiet on the night - especially if he is joined by preferred left-flank partner in crime and Germany teammate Führich, who has two goals, two assists and three shots off the woodwork across all competitions this season!
4) Perfect match: The Stiller-Karazor connection
While Hoeneß's squad is overflowing with in-form talent, perhaps the most indispensable part of the puzzle is his stalwart pair of defensive midfielders Atakan Karazor and Angelo Stiller. The two - Turkey and Germany internationals, respectively - complement each other perfectly to screen the defence and link up with the attack. Karazor, who sits 15th on the Bundesliga table for duels won with 180, is more the enforcer, while Stiller is more of a regista, starting attacks, co-leading for assists (four) alongside Mittelstädt and posing a goal threat himself.
Their partnership and understanding, honed over 59 matches played alongside each other in all competitions, will be key in establishing a foothold in the middle of the park and keeping PSG' two attacking/creative midfielders - likely Fabián Ruiz and Vintinha, although Warren Zaïre-Emery or Kang-in Lee could also feature - on the back foot.
5) Much-improved defence
Although Stuttgart have been perfect in 2025, they weren't far off that in a busy month of December as well, with their 1-0 league loss to St. Pauli their only defeat since late November's 5-1 reverse at the hands of Red Star Belgrade on Champions League Matchday 5.
Hoeneß must have found some choice words for his back-line after that evening in Serbia because in the 10 matches across all competitions since, Stuttgart have kept three clean sheets and conceded more than one goal on only two occasions. What's more, they scored a total of 26 goals as they racked up a record of eight wins, one draw and that one defeat in that time.
The central defensive pairing of Jeff Chabot and Anthony Rouault have been imperious and, with a strong contribution from Japanese-American Anrie Chase, as well as Mittelstädt and right-back Josha Vagnoman, Stuttgart have had a rock-solid base from which to launch their incisive attacking play. In short: just like their defenders, PSG's expensively assembled attacking line are not in for an easy night in the south-west of Germany.
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