Stuttgart's Bundesliga form has taken a frustrating turn after a 1-0 defeat at Hamburger SV on Saturday, a result that leaves Sebastian Hoeneß's side sitting 13th in the table with six points from six games. The loss is a setback given the momentum Stuttgart had built heading into the weekend, with back-to-back wins over SC Paderborn in the Bundesliga and Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League raising expectations of a more consistent run.

The Champions League victory in Bratislava was particularly significant. Stuttgart won 3-0, with captain Deniz Undav opening the scoring in the 29th minute after a sharp move involving Angelo Stiller. According to Opta data cited by GOAL, Undav's goal made him the most dangerous German player in European competition main rounds since last season, with 12 goal involvements across the two campaigns. After a difficult start to the season hampered by an Achilles injury and a spell of criticism, the 30-year-old appears to be finding his best form at the right time.

Hoeneß has consistently backed Undav through the difficult period, and that loyalty now looks to be paying off. The bigger test of Stuttgart's ambitions arrives quickly: Atletico Madrid visit the MHP Arena in the Champions League on Tuesday, a fixture that will reveal whether the Bratislava performance was a sign of genuine European progress or simply a result against weaker opposition. Domestically, the inconsistency that has defined Stuttgart's season so far remains the central concern.