Stuttgart's season is at an early crossroads. Three points from three Bundesliga games, including a 1:2 defeat at Hoffenheim last weekend, leaves the club 14th in the table and already under pressure to find consistency. The loss in Sinsheim was compounded by an injury scare involving Angelo Stiller, who was substituted in the 34th minute after a collision. The club confirmed he suffered only a bruise, but his availability for the coming days remains unclear.

The most compelling subplot runs through Deniz Undav. The captain and record-contract holder has yet to score in the Bundesliga this season, and his Achilles problems contributed to his absence from Jürgen Klopp's first Germany squad. Lothar Matthäus suggested the weight of expectation, the captaincy, and a difficult build-up to the World Cup may all be affecting Undav mentally, though coach Sebastian Hoeneß has defended his striker publicly and insists it is only a matter of time before he rediscovers top form.

Against that backdrop, Ermedin Demirovic's Champions League hat-trick against Viking Stavanger offered a genuine bright spot. The 28-year-old scored three times in twelve minutes on matchday one, giving Stuttgart a winning start in Europe and a credible alternative attacking threat. Now comes a stiff domestic examination: a home game against Borussia Dortmund, who arrive at the MHP Arena on Saturday with a perfect nine points from nine.