VfB Stuttgart around striker Deniz Undav leaves RB Leipzig worried about their Champions League place. In a duel between two top teams and at the same time a false start to the new year, the Swabians celebrated an unexpected 5:2 (2:1) goal festival against disappointing guests on Saturday. Coach Marco Rose’s Leipzig team suffered a defeat in the third game after the winter break in the Bundesliga. On Sunday, RB threatens to slip out of the top four. For Borussia Dortmund, just one point against VfL Bochum would be enough to move past.
In front of 52,100 spectators, the goals from Benjamin Sesko (32nd minute) and Lois Openda (55th) were clearly not enough for the guests. Stuttgart’s Undav (30th/56th/75th) was successful three times and this Saturday clearly pushed Stuttgart’s absence of top scorer Serhou Guirassy into the background. Enzo Millot (25th/hand penalty) initiated the success for the Swabians who had also previously had no points in 2024. Jamie Leweling also scored (48th). The Swabians had previously lost all four Bundesliga games without Guirassy, currently at the Africa Cup. Now they have consolidated their place in the premier class.
Rose’s hope was not fulfilled. “We now have to get back on track and need a result. Then we’ll be in a position to start a series,” the RB coach said on Sky before kick-off: “We’re already critical of ourselves, but on the other hand it’s not about losing our nerve .”
Tennis balls on the soccer field
VfB struggled to capitalize on its chances in the first two games after the winter break. After a somewhat cautious start, a hand penalty helped against RB: referee Sven Jablonski first looked at the scene on the screen in which a header from Dan-Axel Zagadou hit RB defender Mohamed Simakan’s hand. Then there was the penalty: Millot confidently converted into the left corner. RB keeper Janis Blaswich chose the other side.
The Stuttgart fans had long since ended the silence of the first few minutes. Tennis balls also flew onto the field in renewed protest against the possible investor entry into the German Football League. With the lead behind them, the hosts continued with enthusiasm, and the supporters were quickly able to celebrate again: After Leipzig lost the ball in midfield, Hoeneß’s team quickly moved forward. Undav shot from outside the penalty area – 2-0.
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The guests had little to offer offensively up to that point, but they took their first chance just two minutes after Stuttgart’s second goal. Sesko got his header between the two VfB defenders Waldemar Anton and Zagadou. However, the Swabians did not let this deter them, they were still the more active team and had further opportunities through Maximilian Mittelstädt (37th) and Josha Vagnoman (41st) and especially Leweling shortly before the break. On the other side, RB called for a penalty after a duel with Openda, but referee Jablonski allowed play to continue.
While Leweling had missed the opportunity to make it 3-1 before the break, he did better shortly after the restart: Chris Führich crossed to Vagnoman, who passed the ball to Leweling – Leweling shot it out of the air with the tip of his foot. Things continued quickly: RB shortened again almost out of nowhere. Openda shot a long ball from Nicolas Seiwald into the top right corner. But VfB countered immediately, Undav headed in an unmarked shot. The striker hadn’t had enough.
