Stuttgart have steadied themselves after a turbulent start to the season. The 4-1 home win over Köln on Matchday 2 was exactly the response Sebastian Hoeneß needed following the heavy 1-5 defeat at Bayern Munich on the opening weekend. Ermedin Demirovic came off the bench to score and was quick to address the transfer speculation that had unsettled him during pre-season, confirming he had no intention of leaving and that rumours about his availability had been false. His goal and his words underlined that Stuttgart's squad, despite the summer disruption, still has genuine quality.

The transfer window left its mark on the club. Chema Andres joined Brighton for up to 23 million euros after just one season, Badredine Bouanani moved on loan to Rangers, and teenager Mirza Catovic joined Barcelona's reserve setup on loan. Jamie Leweling, heavily linked with AS Roma and Borussia Dortmund, stayed put and will now play Champions League football with the club. Bilal El Khannouss also remained after a move to Newcastle failed to materialise, giving Hoeneß greater depth in midfield despite the player's reported dissatisfaction with his squad role.

Stuttgart sit ninth in the Bundesliga after two games, level on points with the teams around them. Attention now turns to a Champions League home fixture against Viking, which represents the club's first test in European competition this season.