Expectations are soaring for an exhilarating display of attacking football as Bayern Munich hosts VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday (kick-off at 6:30 PM CEST, with live coverage available through text commentary and free web radio). Vincent Kompany’s squad aims to maintain their position at the top of the table while making a statement against last season’s runners-up, who currently boast the third-best attack of the 2024/25 season. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match in our preview.
Bayern’s Recent Form and Training
Bayern heads into the weekend tied with RB Leipzig at the summit, both having accumulated 14 points. However, FCB struggled in their last three competitive fixtures before the international break, failing to secure a victory. “We’ve analyzed the last few games. We were dominant, had many more chances than the opposition. The question that’s always important is how often we’d win if we played the game 10 times. It’s not perfect – we know that. It’s our job to do the details better,” Kompany stated in Friday’s press conference. “We 100 percent believe that we will have success this way.” The immediate objective is to demonstrate that belief against Stuttgart.
Excitement in Munich
There is palpable excitement in Munich as Saturday’s match approaches. “It’s a southern classic again. Stuttgart have made great progress. We’re really looking forward to the game,” remarked Max Eberl, board member for sport. The match promises to showcase a plethora of talent, with Bayern’s attacking stars—Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, and others—contributing to a total of 20 goals in six games. Meanwhile, Stuttgart counters with a formidable front, including Deniz Undav, Jamie Leweling, and Ermedin Demirovic, who have propelled their team to 15 goals.
Respect for Stuttgart’s Development
Bayern has great respect for Stuttgart, acknowledging their impressive development under the management of Basti Hoeneß. “Alexander Wehrle and Fabian Wohlgemuth have developed an idea with Basti Hoeneß. They have a lot of young German players. It’s working, and it’s remarkable what a good job they’re doing there,” Eberl added. Stuttgart had the largest club contingent in Germany’s squad for the October internationals, with six players—Undav, Leweling, Alexander Nübel, Angelo Stiller, Maximilian Mittelstädt, and Chris Führich—returning to the club filled with confidence.
Historical Context and Current Standings
Last season, Stuttgart stunned the Bundesliga by finishing second, having narrowly avoided relegation the previous year. Much of that success can be attributed to Hoeneß, who previously coached in Bayern’s youth system and led the reserves to a title in 3. Liga. Stuttgart’s squad also features two Bayern loanees, Nübel and Frans Krätzig, as well as former Bayern midfielder Stiller. Currently, Stuttgart sits on nine points from six games, having drawn their last three competitive matches.
Team News and Injury Updates
In terms of squad news, Bayern will be without long-term absentees Hiroki Ito (metatarsal) and Jamal Musiala (hip). Josip Stanisic and Sacha Boey (both knee) are also sidelined, while Dayot Upamecano is facing a thigh issue. As for Stuttgart, they come to Munich missing Chris Führich (adductor), Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee), Justin Diehl (shoulder), and Luca Raimund (thigh).
Coaches’ Perspectives
“What Stuttgart brings is that they always want to play their game. That’s brought them success. They always press high and want to play their way through. We’re looking forward to the game,” said Kompany. Meanwhile, Sebastian Hoeneß of VfB Stuttgart emphasized, “It’s the biggest challenge you can have in Germany right now. We want to stick to our game in Munich and need to be aware that we take the chances offered to us.”
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