VfB Stuttgart are building momentum on two fronts after a commanding 3-0 Champions League win away at Slovan Bratislava, a result that puts the club in a strong position in the early stages of the competition. The victory was significant not just for the scoreline but for what it represented personally for captain Deniz Undav, who broke his goal drought for Stuttgart with a composed finish in the 29th minute. Undav had gone without a goal across all three competitions this season and had faced criticism, including being left out of Jürgen Klopp's Germany squad in September. His strike also made him the most prolific German player in European knockout rounds since last season, according to Opta data cited by GOAL. Trainer Sebastian Hoeneß had publicly backed his captain throughout the difficult spell, and that faith now looks vindicated.

The win over Bratislava followed a 2-0 Bundesliga victory at Paderborn, giving Stuttgart back-to-back wins across competitions. Yet the league picture remains tight. Stuttgart sit 11th in the Bundesliga with six points from five games, level with Hamburger SV directly below them, as the standings data shows. Inconsistency in the league, including defeats to Dortmund and Hoffenheim, means domestic form still needs attention. Stuttgart travel to Hamburger SV on Saturday, a fixture that carries real significance given how closely matched the two sides are in the table.