VfB Stuttgart began the new Bundesliga season with a chastening 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich, a result that left them rooted to the bottom of the table with zero points from their opening game. The scoreline flattered Stuttgart, with captain Deniz Undav admitting after the final whistle that goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow's outstanding performance prevented an even heavier loss. "If Fabi hadn't had such an outstanding day, you concede eight or nine here," Undav said. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß acknowledged his side must improve, though he noted Bayern would likely beat most opponents by similar margins.

The defeat exposed Stuttgart's injury problems in stark terms. The squad arrived in Munich already short of key players, with Nikolas Nartey having picked up a hamstring injury in the DFB-Pokal win over Hansa Rostock that ended his promising start as a makeshift right-back. Lorenz Assignon, Dennis Seimen, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Leo Sauer, Justin Diehl, and Jeremy Arevalo were also unavailable, leaving Hoeneß with limited options across the pitch.

Off the pitch, the transfer window provided some clarity. Bilal El Khannouss, who has featured only as a late substitute in both competitive games this season, appears set to stay after a move to Newcastle United broke down. The 22-year-old had reportedly held out for interest from a bigger English club, but with the window closing Tuesday, no such offer materialised. Ermedin Demirovic also rejected a move to Galatasaray, choosing to fight for his place despite new striker Dzenan Pejcinovic joining from Wolfsburg. Stuttgart host FC Koeln on September 4, a fixture they will need to win to get their season moving.