Stuttgart have steadied themselves after a turbulent start to the season. A heavy 1-5 defeat at Bayern Munich on matchday one raised immediate questions about the squad's depth and cohesion, but a commanding 4-1 home win over Köln on September 4 provided the response Sebastian Hoeneß needed. Ermedin Demirovic came off the bench to score the decisive third goal, and afterwards spoke candidly about the false transfer rumours that had unsettled him during the summer, insisting he had chosen to stay and prove his worth.

The transfer window left its mark on the squad. Chema Andres joined Brighton for up to 23 million euros on deadline day, a surprise departure that Hoeneß admitted was driven by the player's own wishes. Badredine Bouanani moved to Rangers on loan, while young midfielder Mirza Catovic joined Barcelona's second team. Jamie Leweling, heavily linked with AS Roma and Borussia Dortmund, ultimately stayed, and his presence will be important across a packed schedule.

With three points from two Bundesliga games, Stuttgart sit ninth in the table, but the bigger picture is the Champions League. Hoeneß's side open their European campaign at home to Norwegian champions Viking on September 9, with DAZN carrying the match live. Injuries to Dennis Seimen and Tiago Tomás add pressure to the squad, and captain Deniz Undav, who has yet to hit top form, will need to step up as the fixture list intensifies across three competitions.