Stuttgart seek first win at Juventus

Deniz Undav scored VfB Stuttgart's first goal back in the UEFA Champions League at Real Madrid.

In a mixed season so far but spearheaded by the in-form Deniz Undav, VfB Stuttgart are aiming for another up by claiming their first UEFA Champions League scalp at Juventus on Tuesday (kick-off: 9pm CEST).

Latest

Sebastian Hoeneß takes Stuttgart into a clash with another top side no doubt contemplating how to build on some promising performances against stern opposition into results. His charges matched Bayern Munich in the opening half on Saturday evening, only to fall to a 4-0 defeat, while they put in a great showing at Real Madrid in their first Champions League match before coming undone with two late goals in a 3-1 loss. A 5-1 win over Borussia Dortmund does provide a template to follow in their mission to overturn the odds and claim their first Champions League win of the season in Turin. Undav fired two goals on that day and remains a force to be reckoned with by any defence, despite the goalless evening in Munich. Jamie Leweling is another Stuttgart attacker in fine fettle after firing the winner on his Germany debut against the Netherlands last week. Chris Führich is one of the players on a lengthy injury list.

Juventus can be very content with their season so far after remaining unbeaten in their eighth Serie A game with a 1-0 win over Lazio. Thiago Motta's charges have conceded a miserly one goal in those eight encounters, although they have been far from prolific at the other end, with two goals in their past four home league ties - a penalty and an 85th-minute own goal against Lazio. Centre-back and club captain Bremer is out after tearing a cruciate ligament in their last Champions League tie in Leipzig, and Stuttgart will no doubt be studying how Benjamin Šeško fired a brace past Juve that night (even though the Italian side emerged 3-2 winners). Former Stuttgart winger Nico González and ex-Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie are among the other names on a lengthy injury list.

Watch: The rise of Deniz Undav

Match stats

Stuttgart boast more goals in their opening seven matches of the Bundesliga season (15) than Juventus do in their first eight Serie A clashes (11).
Undav has seven goals in his past seven games for club and country.
Stuttgart have lost just three of their past 15 matches in all competitions.
Stuttgart's on-loan striker El Bilal Touré played for parent club Atalanta against Juventus in last season's Coppa Italia final (losing 1-0).
McKennie made 91 appearances for Schalke in four years between 2017 and 2021 while González scored 23 times in 79 appearances for Stuttgart earlier in his career. Arkadiusz Milik, meanwhile, spent time with Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Augsburg (on loan), whereas Kenan Yıldız played for the Bayern youth ranks.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

Probable teams

VfB Stuttgart: Nübel - Vagnoman, Rouault, Chabot, Mittelstädt - Stiller, Karazor (c) - Millot, Undav, Leweling - Demirović
Out: Diehl (shoulder), Führich (adductor), Nartey (knee), Raimund (thigh), Stergiou (back), Zagadou (knee)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

Juventus: Perin - Savona, Kalulu, Gatti (c), Cambiaso - Fagioli, Locatelli, Luiz - Conceição, Vlahović, Yıldız
Out: Bremer (cruciate ligament), Di Gregorio (suspended), González (muscular), Koopmeiners (ribs), Milik (knee), Pogba (suspended)
Doubtful: McKennie (muscular)
Coach: Thiago Motta

LIVE blog!

New posts available

Juventus

Stuttgart

Champions League League phase, Matchday 3 Juventus Stadium, Turin

Long injury lists

Both sides are missing six first team players for the meeting in Turin, with former Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie a potential seventh for the hosts who have two suspensions among their absentees. Left behind in Stuttgart are Justin Diehl (shoulder), Chris Führich (adductor), Nikolas Nartey (knee), Luca Raimund (thigh), Leonidas Stergiou (back), and Dan-Axel Zagadou (knee).

Thiago Motta on facing Stuttgart

“Stuttgart play well. They are very good at pressing first and organising themselves, building a line of five that is difficult to overcome. I like them a lot, it will be a beautiful game to play, and we will have to be complete, as I think the Germans are, preventing them from playing a comfortable game: this means keeping the ball, fighting and defending together when it's time, closing spaces, not giving them chances to play their own game."

123s

Watch: Bayern 4-0 Stuttgart

Sebastian Hoeneß's men fell to a demoralising defeat to Bayern on Matchday 7.

Stern defence

Juventus have won four and drawn four in their first eight league games, while conceding a grand total of just one goal. Undav and co. will have to be at their very best if they're to unlock the Juve backline.

Stumbling Stuttgart

In the Bundesliga, Sebastian Hoeneß's men have struggled of late, drawing two and losing one in their last three games. They conceded first in their two draws against Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim, before losing 4-0 against Bayern in their most recent game.

Searching for three points

Stuttgart are yet to win in this competition, losing to Real Madrid in their first game despite a strong performance before drawing to Sparta Prague. Juventus have won both of their opening fixtures against PSV and RB Leipzig.

176s

Razor-sharp!

Stuttgart fans will be hoping in-form striker Deniz Undav can make the difference in this stiff test, and his stats suggest that he could be the man to step up in Italy: six goals and one assist in ten appearances across four competitions this season, including a strike against Real Madrid on Matchday 1.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of VfB Stuttgart's third UEFA Champions League game of the 2024/25 league phase away at Juventus on Tuesday.