Sebastian Hoeneß’s VfB Stuttgart side have all the tools to produce an upset when they face reigning UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid on Matchday 1 of this season's revamped competition.

bundesliga.com takes a closer look...

1) Hoeneß at the wheel 

Last season, head coach Hoeneß showed on several occasions that he has the tactical knowledge needed to win big games. Early on in the campaign, Stuttgart beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at home, before earning a 2-0 triumph a month later in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup. VfB went on to do the triple over Edin Terzić’s side, winning the third and final meeting between the two 1-0 in April, thanks to a goal from Serhou Guirassy.

Stuttgart also recorded victories over fellow big guns Bayern and Leipzig, beating Thomas Tuchel’s then-champions 3-1 on Matchday 32 and Leipzig in a high-scoring 5-2 win on Matchday 19.

As such, they will not be overawed by facing big-name opponents and you can rest assured that Hoeneß will have a clear plan of attack. 

Watch: Analysing VfB Stuttgart

2) Attacking might

VfB may have lost 28-goal Serhou Guirassy to Dortmund over the summer, but they successfully managed to turn Deniz Undav's 18-goal and nine-assist loan spell from Brighton & Hove Albion into a permanent move. The Germany international will almost certainly lead the line in Madrid but he still has a serious support cast around him.

Chris Führich (eight goals, seven assists) and Maxmilian Mittelstädt (two goals, four assists) both enjoyed sensational campaigns in attacking midfield and at left-back respectively en route to becoming a full Germany internationals.

Jude Bellingham and Co. would do well to keep an eye on the likes of Enzo Millot and Jamie Leweling too; they may not have quite the same fearsome reputation as some of their more famous teammates, but they are ballers too, no question. 

Watch: Stuttgart gearing up for Champions League return

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3) Shrewd summer signings

Jeff Chabot and Ermedin Demirović look to be smart recruits on Stuttgart's part, softening the blow of losing captain Waldemar Anton and top-scorer Guirassy in the summer. Demirović joined from Augsburg where he scored 15 Bundesliga goals last season and he has already opened his account for his new side, scoring a brilliant bicycle kick just a couple of minutes into Matchday 1 against Freiburg, before adding two more goals to his tally on Matchday 3 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. He also scored in the first round of the DFB Cup against Preußen Münster.

While last season was one to forget for Cologne, Jeff Chabot was one of their bright sparks. Consequently, Stuttgart looked to him to replace the outgoing Anton, who was a huge part of the side’s incredible 2023/24 campaign and another member of the Stuttgart contingent in Germany’s EURO 2024 squad. So far this season, Chabot leads the league for aerial duels won (18), impressing with his ability to dominate defensive situations.

Retaining the services of Alexander Nübel on loan provides further stability at the back, while promising forward Nick Woltemade - standing at 1.98-metres tall - offers a different kind of threat going forward.  

Ermedin Demirović has settled in quickly at Stuttgart, netting twice in his first three games. - IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Memmler

4) Germany core 

After all having a stellar season at the MHP Arena, Undav, Führich and Mittelstädt were all selected to be a part of Germany’s squad at the European Championship. Mittelstädt started all three group games, against Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland, before making his next appearance as a substitute in the quarter-final defeat to Spain. Undav and Führich also made an appearance, coming on in the second half against Hungary.

During the September international break for UEFA Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands and Hungary, Angelo Stiller and Nübel were also part of Julian Nagelsmann’s squad. It was Stiller’s first call-up to the senior national team while Nübel was previously selected for the pre-tournament friendly against Ukraine in March, but didn’t make an appearance.

Stiller’s call-up comes following the retirement of Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos, who called time on his glittering career following his country’s quarter-final exit at EURO 2024. As a result, there is a large Kroos-shaped hole in Germany's midfield which Stiller will hope to fill in the near future. Real are still working to plug their Kroos-shaped gap.

The strong Stuttgart presence in the national team is testament to the quality performances they have been consistently putting in, and the experience gained from playing at such tournaments both with and against world-class players will only have improved them further.

Maximilian Mittelstädt (r.) made four appearances for Germany at this summer's tournament. - IMAGO/Michaela Merk/M.i.S.

5) German teams can trouble Real Madrid

Despite Real’s dominance of the tournament over the past few years, German sides have shown in that they are capable of getting a result against Los Blancos.

In the 2022/23 season, Leipzig managed to beat Real 3-2 at home and then drew 1-1 away at the Bernabeu the following season, while Borussia Mönchengladbach secured a 2-2 draw at Borussia Park in the 2020/21 season. Bayern then held them to the same result at home in last season’s tournament.

Union Berlin didn’t manage to take any points from Carlo Ancelotti’s men in their maiden Champions League season last year, but were moments away from a draw in Madrid before a last minute Dani Ceballos goal made it 3-2.

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VfB Stuttgart

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