VfB Stuttgart secured a 3–0 victory away against Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Champions League on October 14, 2026, bringing their tally to six points from two matches and moving into a strong position for the knockout stage. Deniz Undav opened the scoring in the 29th minute, Sandro Cruz added an own goal in the 64th minute, and Ermedin Demirović sealed the result in the 90th minute at the Narodný stadion.
The win follows Stuttgart’s 3–1 opening-phase victory against Viking Stavanger, leaving the Bundesliga side with a maximum six points after facing both teams from Pot 4. In the previous two seasons, totals of 12 and 10 points respectively were sufficient to reach the intermediate knockout round, leaving Stuttgart well positioned with six league-phase fixtures still remaining.
How Stuttgart Broke Through in Bratislava
Stuttgart controlled the opening half on the pitch in Bratislava, which had been resanded following an Enrique-Iglesias concert, according to reporting by n-tv.de. Josha Vagnoman created the first danger in the 8th minute, testing goalkeeper Dominik Takáč from a tight angle. After Undav missed a double chance in the 23rd minute, Vagnoman won possession and fed Angelo Stiller, who passed to Undav on the left side of the penalty area. Undav finished with a deflected shot into the far corner in the 29th minute, marking his first competitive goal of the season across eight appearances, as noted by WELT. Vagnoman nearly doubled the lead shortly before halftime with a 20-meter volley that struck the crossbar.
Manager Sebastian Hoeneß rotated his lineup significantly after a 2–0 win against Paderborn, making five changes, including a planned switch in goal. Fabian Bredlow started instead of Dennis Seimen to manage the young goalkeeper’s workload following a lengthy layoff from a two-month injury absence, as reported by LigaInsider. Hoeneß confirmed that Seimen remains the primary choice and will return in goal for the upcoming Bundesliga fixture.
The VAR Review and Slovan’s Push
Bratislava, coached by former Champions League winner Yaya Touré, pressed forward early in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Suleiman Camara latched onto a long clearance from the goalkeeper and put the ball into the net. A lengthy video review ensued before the officiating team ruled that Slovan captain Andraž Šporar had touched the ball last, placing Camara in an offside position and chalking off the equalizer.
Moments later, Sandro Cruz struck the crossbar with a powerful effort for the hosts. However, the defender turned provider for Stuttgart’s second goal in the 64th minute when he diverted a sharp cross from Vagnoman past Takáč into his own net. The decisive second goal quieted the home crowd and broke Bratislava’s momentum.
Late Sealing of the Three Points
With the game under control in the closing stages, substitute Ermedin Demirović met a cross in the 90th minute to head home Stuttgart’s third goal.
Stuttgart finished the night having secured a clean sheet on the road. “We didn’t give anything away in the first half — the only thing that didn’t fit was the scoreline,” Hoeneß said after the match, while acknowledging that his team had benefited from fortune during the disallowed equalizer and the subsequent goalframe incident.
Upcoming Fixtures in Bundesliga and Europe
Stuttgart faces a quick turnaround into domestic action. The team travels to face Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 15:30 CEST. Following that domestic fixture, Stuttgart returns to continental competition to host Atlético Madrid at the MHPArena on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 21:00 CEST. Slovan Bratislava travels to face AS Roma on the same evening in the Champions League.
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