Stuttgart have steadied themselves after a turbulent start to the season, turning early anxiety into cautious optimism with a convincing 4-1 home win over 1. FC Köln on Matchday 2. The result mattered beyond the three points. After being torn apart 5-1 by Bayern München on the opening weekend, the club needed a response, and they got one, lifting them to ninth in the Bundesliga with three points from two games.

The squad arriving at this point is noticeably different from the one that ended last season. Deadline Day brought significant movement. Chema Andres joined Brighton for up to 23 million euros after just one year at the club, while Badredine Bouanani departed on loan to Rangers. Mirza Catovic also left on loan to Barcelona's second team. Those exits thinned the attacking options, and coach Sebastian Hoeneß acknowledged the squad is operating with a leaner depth chart than ideal.

Off the pitch, striker Ermedin Demirovic publicly addressed false reports that he had been made available for transfer, calling one story an outright lie. His goal against Köln underlined his commitment. Atakan Karazor, meanwhile, turned down a lucrative Saudi Pro League offer to stay, despite losing the captaincy to Deniz Undav and his place in the starting lineup.

Undav himself has drawn scrutiny after quiet performances in both league matches, though Hoeneß defended him firmly ahead of Wednesday's Champions League opener against Viking at the MHPArena.