VfB Stuttgart find themselves in an uncomfortable split reality: thriving in the Champions League while stumbling through the Bundesliga. Seven points from three European games, including a 1:1 draw against Atlético Madrid in which Stuttgart finished with a numerical advantage after Morten Hjulmand's red card, underlines their quality at the highest level. Yet six points from six Bundesliga matches tells a different, more troubling story. A 0:1 defeat at Hamburg last weekend was the latest example of a team failing to convert chances, a problem that has defined their domestic campaign so far.

The frustration has prompted a response from the club's leadership. According to Sport Bild, coach Sebastian Hoeneß has made training sessions longer and more intense, is now addressing individual errors in front of the full squad rather than privately, and has made clear that no starting position is guaranteed. Separately, players have been instructed to stop arriving at the training ground in personal luxury cars, with fines threatened for non-compliance. The measures reflect a club trying to sharpen focus after an underwhelming start to the season.

Off the pitch, goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow has attracted interest from Bayern Munich, with Sky reporting initial contact between the parties. His contract expires at season's end, raising questions about Stuttgart's options in goal beyond the current campaign. Stuttgart host Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Friday, a fixture that offers a genuine opportunity to build domestic momentum against a side that has lost all four of their league games this season.