Stuttgart have steadied themselves after a turbulent start to the season, turning early concern into cautious confidence. A 4-1 home win over 1. FC Köln on Matchday 2 was exactly the response Sebastian Hoeneß needed after the heavy 1-5 defeat at Bayern München on the opening weekend. The win lifted Stuttgart to ninth in the Bundesliga table with three points from two games, and it carried an important emotional charge beyond the result itself.

Ermedin Demirovic was central to that narrative. The striker came off the bench to score the decisive third goal and then used the post-match platform to publicly address false reports that had circulated during the summer suggesting Hoeneß wanted to sell him. Demirovic said a lie had been spread in pre-season, and confirmed he had told the coach directly he was staying. Hoeneß had already pushed back on those reports in July, calling them unfounded and reaffirming his commitment to the striker.

Off the pitch, the summer window left its mark on the squad. Chema Andres joined Brighton for up to 23 million euros on Deadline Day, while Badredine Bouanani moved on loan to Rangers. Mirza Catovic joined Barcelona's second team on loan. Those departures thinned the attacking depth, though Atakan Karazor's decision to reject a lucrative Saudi Arabian offer gave Hoeneß an experienced option in midfield despite the player losing his captaincy to Deniz Undav. Stuttgart now turn their attention to the Champions League, hosting Viking at the MHPArena on September 9.