VfB Stuttgart are looking to upset last season's unbeaten Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, in the Supercup. bundesliga.com outlines just why the surprise package of last season can start the new campaign with a bang...

Sky-high confidence

After narrowly avoiding relegation in 2022/23 - beating Hamburg in an end-of-season play-off to retain their Bundesliga status - VfB Stuttgart enjoyed an epic 2023/24 campaign. They finished the season as runners-up for the first time in 21 years, pipping Bayern Munich to that position on the final matchday to end the league higher than the Bavarians for the first time since 2006/07. 

While Leverkusen's unbeaten Bundesliga season attracted more attention - it cannot be overstated just how sensational Stuttgart were, with 23 wins in the 34-match season marking a new club record. Stuttgart went through their six pre-season friendlies unbeaten, finishing their preparations with an impressive 4-0 win over Spanish cup winners Athletic Blibao. After the boost of securing the services of striker Deniz Undav on a permanent deal, Sebastian Hoeneß's side have what it takes to bring their feelgood feeling into the opening match of the season and snatch the Supercup. 

Watch: Stuttgart stage sensational comeback to beat Kyoto Sanga in friendly

Challengers to the champions

While Leverkusen romped to the title last season, things certainly did not fully go their way whenever they came up against this spirited Stuttgart side - with some thrilling tight battles between the pair. Indeed, Sebastian Hoeneß is the closest anyone has got to becoming a nemesis of Xabi Alonso - going unbeaten in Bundesliga matches against the Leverkusen tactician (three draws in three matches).

A helter-skelter 3-2 DFB Cup win in Leverkusen is the only time Stuttgart have come up (narrowly) short against Leverkusen under Hoeneß - after scoring the opening goal in that and each of the aforementioned past three league meetings, Stuttgart have a more than realistic hope of surprising the champions this time.  

Watch: Stuttgart went within seconds of a win on their last visit to Leverkusen

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In youth we trust

It's a classic football debate that will always rumble on - who will come out on top between a side packed with youthful vigour and experienced old hands? You never truly know, but when it comes to a one-off curtain raiser that offers the chance to grab the limelight, many would back youth to shine - and Stuttgart certainly have that in spades!

Stuttgart have statistically had the youngest side in the Bundesliga for the past four seasons - last season having an average age of 25.2 compared to Leverkusen's 26.1. After the signing of a host of youngsters this summer - Justin Diehl (aged 19), Frans Krätzig (21), Nick Woltemade (22), Ramon Hendriks (23), Yannik Keitel (24), Ermedin Demirović and Jeff Chabot (both 26) - plus the departure of the 28-year-old pair of Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy, there is only one way that average age figure is going to turn, further down. 

Watch: The best of new Stuttgart signing Ermedin Demirović

Sight of silverware

While Leverkusen are famously a club not used to winning honours, their double win last season has given them plenty to celebrate in the recent past. Looking beyond their 2016/17 Bundesliga 2 success, Stuttgart do not have a title to their name since their 2006/07 Bundesliga crown - making the club's first honour in a generation a serious motivating factor heading into the Supercup.

While it might not be worth too much going into this season's encounter, Stuttgart have tasted Supercup glory in the past, winning the 1992 edition against Hannover 3-1.

Stuttgart's 2006/2007 Bundesliga win is the last time their fans have celebrated major silverware. - Pressefoto Rudel/Robin Rudel via www.imago-images.de

Record favours runners-up 

A hunger for honours and a willingness to prove themselves are two possible reasons runners-up boast the advantage when they have come across the Bundesliga champions in a Supercup. Nine of the 24 Supercups to date have featured a clash between champions and runners-up (seven times because the champions won a domestic double and twice because the runners-up were DFB Cup winners). The runners-up have won five of those nine encounters, and the champions four.

That is just one more reason why Stuttgart can cause a surprise in the season curtain-raiser!

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