With the wind currently in their winning sails, VfB Stuttgart are set for a crucial showdown in Slovakia as a team led by Deniz Undav and Enzo Millot seek a victory over Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday that would significantly aid their chances of staying in the competition (kick-off: 9pm CET).

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It was a Champions League drubbing back in November that provided the catalyst for Stuttgart's season turnaround, and how Sebastian Hoeneß's men have responded since that 5-1 humbling in Belgrade. Picking up seven wins from their subsequent nine games in all competitions has catapulted the Swabians up to fourth in the Bundesliga standings and reignited hopes of continuing in European competition this term. A 5-1 victory against Young Boys last time out lifted VfB to 26th in the 36-team table and leaves the German giants in contention to reach the Champions League play-offs with two league phase games to go. Last weekend's impressive 4-0 triumph against Freiburg featured a goal from recently returned striker Undav, while Maximilian Mittelstädt was back in the fold as an unused substitute having recovered from muscular problems. The only extra absentee for this midweek game is nine-goal summer signing Nick Woltemade, who is not in VfB's Champions League squad. 

Slovan's race in European competition is run for this season, as Vladimír Weiss's side are playing for pride as one of three teams in the Champions League still pointless and out of the running for the knockout stage. The encounter with Stuttgart will be the Slovak champions' last home game in Europe this term, and they will be hoping for a good send off in front of their own fans, who are awaiting the resumption of the domestic league in February. In the meantime, Slovan have been playing a series of friendlies as part of a winter training camp. Their most recent game brought a 2-1 win away to Qatari side Al-Gharafa, with Kenan Bajrić and Július Szöke on target for the visitors. Tuesday's hosts conclude their Champions League adventure with a game away to Bayern Munich on 29 January.  

Watch: Stuttgart up to fourth after sweeping aside Freiburg

Match stats

• Stuttgart are bidding to reach the Champions League knockouts for the first time since their run to the last 16 in 2009/10. They also made it that far in 2003/04.
• Ermedin Demirović and Undav have 10 and nine goals in all competitions respectively this season, including one each in the Champions League.
• Mario Gomez and Kevin Kuranyi are Stuttgart’s record Champions League scorers with three goals apiece.
• VfB have faced Slovakian opposition six times to date, winning four and drawing two. They beat Bratislava 1-0 away in 2010/11 UEFA Europa League qualifying, before drawing 1-1 in Stuttgart.
• Robert Mak scored six goals in 76 Bundesliga appearances for Nuremberg - his first professional club - between 2010 and 2014.
• Kevin Wimmer, meanwhile, represented Cologne (from 2012 to 2015) and Hannover (2018/19). The Austrian made 54 Bundesliga appearances and 45 in Bundesliga 2.

Probable teams

Bratislava: Takáč - Voet, Kashia (c), Bajrić - Blackman, Ignatenko, Savvidis, Medveděv - Barseghyan, Strelec, Mak
Out: Kucka (knee)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Vladimír Weiss 

Stuttgart: Nübel - Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstädt - Millot, Karazor (c), Stiller, Führich - Undav, Demirović
Out: Diehl (hamstring), Nartey (knee), Raimund (thigh), Touré (foot), Woltemade (ineligible), Zagadou (knee)
Doubtful: - 
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

LIVE blog

VS

Slovan

Tue, 21.01 20:00

Stuttgart

Champions League
League phase, Matchday 7 League phase, Matchday 7 Národný futbalový štadión, Bratislava

Happy Hoeneß

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß has every reason to smile with his team coming back from the winter break with three wins in the space of a week (against Augsburg, Leipzig and Freiburg). "We’re on the right track and want to keep going," the 42-year-old coach said ahead of his side's trip to Slovakia.

© IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Wolfgang

Slovan down and out

The Slovakian champions are playing for pride this week after a 3-1 reverse against Atlético Madrid ended their European hopes for this season. Slovan are one of three teams who have failed to register a point in the league phase and will conclude their tournament after the Stuttgart encounter with a game at Bayern Munich.

© IMAGO/Cesar Cebolla / PRESSINPHOTO

Undav in full flow

Fully fit again following a hamstring tear that saw him miss 11 games for club and country, Stuttgart's Germany international Deniz Undav has managed two goals and an assist in his three Bundesliga games since returning to action.

© IMAGO/Michael Weber IMAGEPOWER

Confidence high

VfB are currently positioned 26th of the 36 teams in the Champions League table and following a 5-1 victory against Young Boys on Matchday 6, are in contention to make it into the tournament play-offs for a spot in the Round of 16.

© IMAGO/Pressefoto Rudel/Robin Rudel

2:03

Stuttgart bouncing back

It seems a long time since VfB suffered that morale-sapping 5-1 reverse in Belgrade against Red Star. The result sparked an important reaction from the Swabians, who have since won seven of their last nine games in all competitions to get their season flying. Tuesday's visitors' latest victory came against Freiburg at the weekend.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of VfB Stuttgart's seventh UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday.

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