Bundesliga
Stuttgart succumb to Atalanta in Champions League
VfB Stuttgart fell to an Atalanta side that scored twice in the second half at the MHPArena and have still yet to concede a goal in this season's league phase.
VfB Stuttgart 0-2 Atalanta
Goals: 0-1 Lookman 51', 0-2 Zaniolo 88'
Stuttgart celebrated their first win in this season's tournament thanks to an injury-time strike from Atalanta loanee El Bilal Touré against Juventus last time out. The Swabians welcomed Touré's host club on Matchday 4 and the Italians arrived at the MHPArena in solid form. UEFA Europa League winners last season, the men from Bergamo were on a seven-game unbeaten run before this encounter and Gian Piero Gasperini's side started on the front foot in what played out as a tight opening half. Ex-RB Leipzig player Ademola Lookman menaced, while Mario Pašalić shot narrowly wide. For their part, VfB had won three of their previous four games in all competitions and they had striker Deniz Undav spearheading their charge. The forward landed arguably the best chance of the opening 45' when he swiped wide from Chris Führich's clever through pass.
With Atalanta winning their previous three Serie A games by an aggregate scored of 11-1, they were always going to pose a threat at some point. And so it proved not long after the restart. The home side, sloppy in possession, gave up the ball too easily and the visitors pounced. Charles De Ketelaere found space on the right and he rolled in for Lookman to slam home the opener. Things would worsen soon afterwards for Stuttgart, with Undav limping out of the contest. His replacement, Ermedin Demirović, then shot wide with the goal at his mercy. With Stuttgart chasing the game, attacker Jarzinho Malanga was thrown on to make his senior bow and the 18-year-old had the home fans on their feet when he struck narrowly wide. Yet that was as good as it would get for VfB, who conceded again at the death when Anthony Rouault's failed attempt at a clearance allowed Nicolò Zaniolo through to finish under Alexander Nübel.
Match stats
- Atalanta are yet to concede in four Champions League games this season.
- This was the first competitive meeting between Stuttgart and Atalanta.
- Touré is on loan at Stuttgart from Atalanta and has already scored as many goals in 11 games for VfB as he got in 17 for the Italians last season (three).
- Sead Kolašinac had a brief spell in Stuttgart’s academy before emerging at Schalke. Lazar Samardžić (Hertha Berlin and Leipzig), Lookman (Leipzig) and Odilon Kossounou (Leverkusen) have also played in the Bundesliga.
Teams
Stuttgart: Nübel - Vagnoman, Chase (Stenzel 80'), Rouault, Mittelstädt - Atakan Karazor (c) (Rieder 74'), Stiller - Millot, Undav (Demirović 55'), Führich (Chabot 74') - Touré (Malanga 80')
Unused subs: Bredlow, Seimen, Al-Dakhil, Keitel, Krätzig, Stergiou
Out: Keitel (groin), Leweling (hamstring), Raimund (thigh), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß
Atalanta: Carnesecchi - Djimsiti, Hien, Kolašinac (Kossounou 13') - Bellanova (Ruggeri 84'), De Roon (c), Éderson, Zappacosta - Pašalić (De Ketelaere 46') - Retegui (Zaniolo 69'), Lookman (Brescianini 84')
Unused subs: Rui Patrício, Rossi, Tolói, Godfrey, Cuadrado, Samardžić, Palestra
Out: Scalvini (cruciate ligament), Scamacca (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini
As it happened!
0 - 2(0 - 0)
Stuttgart
FINAL
Atalanta
89'
vs
Time added on
There will be four extra minutes to play here.
88'
vs
Atalanta home free
Not great defending from Stuttgart, who again gift possession a little too easily. Anthony Rouault compounds the problem by swinging at air when trying to clear. Zaniolo waltzes through and finishes under Nübel.
86'
vs
Stenzel effort
Stenzel drags a shot wide of the target. Stittgart are pushing hard.
84'
vs
Lookman and out
Ademola Lookman goes off to huge applause from the away fans.
84'
vs
Brescianini
Lookman
84'
vs
Ruggeri
Bellanova
82'
vs
Malanga straight in
He's just come on, and Jarzinho Malanga smacks a shot from the right that flies just wide.
81'
vs
One last throw
Sebastian Hoeneß brings Jarzinho Malanga and Pascal Stenzel on for the closing stages.
81'
vs
Jarzinho Malanga
El Bilal Touré
81'
vs
Pascal Stenzel
Anrie Chase
79'
vs
Bellanova
75'
vs
Double change
Rieder and Chabot are thrown into the mix as the hosts look to change things. Atalanta have just ventured into an offside position, the hosts relieved to see the flag raised.
74'
vs
Fabian Rieder
Atakan Karazor
74'
vs
Jeff Chabot
Chris Führich
72'
vs
De Ketelaere header
The Belgian forward ghosts into the centre and lowers himself to glance a header at the Stuttgart goal. Nübel is there to make the save.
69'
vs
Zaniolo
Retegui
68'
vs
Demirović booked
Stuttgart's sub goes into the book for a foul on Bellanova.
68'
vs
Ermedin Demirović
62'
vs
Stuttgart's problem
This is tricky for the hosts now as Atalanta have proven time and again in European competition that they are experts at sitting on a lead and playing a deadly counter-attacking game.
58'
vs
Mittelstädt probing
VfB are up for the fight. Maximilian Mittelstädt races down the left and sends a decent cross into the mixer. Atalanta clear. The home fans raise the noise.
54'
vs
Éderson
55'
vs
Demirović off target
Straight from the bench, Ermedin Demirović has prodded wide with the goal gaping following Führich's short pass to the right. The home fans can't believe it.
55'
vs
Stuttgart swap
Ermedin Demirović is on for the injured Undav.
55'
vs
Ermedin Demirović
Deniz Undav
53'
vs
Undav hurt
Things look to be going from bad to worse for the hosts here with Undav down and feeling his hamstring.
51'
vs
Visitors in front
Sloppy from Stuttgart, who are hustled out of possession too easily. De Ketelaere ends up with the ball out on the right and crosses low for Lookman, who finishes with glee. Atalanta lead.
48'
vs
Wasted opportunity
Undav is man-handled by Odilon Kossounou out on the left and VfB win a free kick in an interesting position. Alas, the set-piece comes to nothing.
46'
vs
Away we go again
Stuttgart get the second half underway.
45' +1
vs
Nübel tested
Lookman plays a tasty ball in from the left and Retegui is there on the run, planting a header straight at Nübel, who gladly welcomes the ball into his grasp.
44'
vs
Big Undav chance
Chris Führich plays a clever, diagonal pass into the feet of Undav, who didn't look at the target before he swiped at goal. The ball flashes wide of the near post. That was probably the best chance of this game.
44'
vs
Hien sees yellow
Atalanta's Swedish defender Isak Hien is booked for a heavy challenge on Stiller.
44'
vs
Hien
41'
vs
Chase in trouble
Chase pulls back the escaping Zappacosta and that's a yellow card all day long.
41'
vs
Anrie Chase
36'
vs
Millot lively
Millot goes down on the right and the hosts have a free kick. It's worked quickly to back to Millot who arcs a shot wide of the upright.
32'
vs
Touré goes down
This time El Bilal Touré goes flying inside the Atalanta box after running into Zappacosta. The Stuttgart fans let out a roar but that's never a penalty.
29'
vs
Pašalić appeal
Pašalić collapses in the area following a challenge from Mittelstädt. Stuttgart's No.7 made a clean tackle there and the referee acknowledges the fact, waving play on.
19'
vs
Visitors in possession
Gian Piero Gasperini's team have had 61 per cent of the ball thus far while either side has had one chance in this tightly-contested encounter.
15'
vs
Flag saves Undav
The striker is played through by Millot's super pass along the floor, but the Germany international can only scoop wide when going for a chipped finish. The offside flag saves Undav's blushes somewhat.
13'
vs
Atalanta's Kolašinac blow
Sead Kolašinac is injured in a challenge with Millot and has to come off. Odilon Kossounou - on loan from Bayer Leverkusen - is on for Atalanta.
13'
vs
Kossounou
Kolašinac
11'
vs
Stuttgart go close
Rouault watches a looping ball into the Stuttgart area, rises and heads over the top. The home fans hold heads in hands, Rouault probably should have scored.
8'
vs
Pašalić tester
Pašalić connects with a lay-off and side-foots the ball narrowly wide of the upright. Nübel had that covered, but it was a big moment for Atalanta's No.8, who should have made more of the chance.
5'
vs
Balanced opening
Both sides are rather frantically looking for openings in these early stages, however, with Lookman and Zappacosta both in dangerous mood for Atalanta, it is the visitors who look the more threatening so far.
2'
vs
Lookman danger
Stuttgart try to build through the centre but their opponents are soon on the attack and Ademola Lookman almost sneaks in before VfB hoof clear.
1'
vs
Peeeep!
Atalanta get the game underway in Stuttgart ...
vs
Moment of silence
The teams are out and form two groups in the centre circle as we break for a minute's silence to remember the victims of the recent floods in Valencia, Spain.
vs
Teams in tunnel!
There's a terrific atmosphere inside the MHPArena as we await the appearance of the teams out on the pitch. Not long to kick off now.