Jamie Leweling and Deniz Undav shine again as Sebastian Hoeneß celebrates VfB Stuttgart centenary
Sebastian Hoeneß celebrated his 100th Bundesliga game in charge of VfB Stuttgart in style, as Deniz Undav netted his 50th goal for the club in all competitions as the Swabians beat Wolfsburg 4-0. It was another impressive display from the side, who are on course for a fantastic end to the season.
Some matches are more memorable than others, and Stuttgart’s 4–0 home win over Wolfsburg was one of them - not only thanks to the emphatic scoreline, but for what it represented. On a day when milestones lined up neatly, the hosts delivered a showing to match the occasion.
As Hoeneß' hit a ton of Bundesliga games at the club, Undav reached his half-century for goals across all tournaments, and Jamie Leweling produced one of the most complete displays of his Stuttgart career. Individually and collectively, this was Stuttgart at full stride.
Watch: Stuttgart 4-0 Wolfsburg
“It was fun out on the pitch, we played really well," Leweling said after the game. "We won 4-0 and picked up three points, so it feels good. I’m pleased I was able to score twice but the team’s success comes first. We can go into the next week of training with a good feeling, and we want to keep working with this energy in the coming days.”
Reaching 100 Bundesliga matches is a marker of consistency and continuity, and for Hoeneß, this particular landmark shows just how far his side have come. Indeed, Stuttgart’s display against Wolfsburg displayed the very best of the head coach's personal brand of football.
From the opening exchanges, Stuttgart dictated the tempo. Their pressing was measured rather than frantic, their build-up patient but purposeful. Stuttgart's second goal, a free-flowing team move involving five players, was the high point of the afternoon.
That sense of fluidity has become a defining feature of Hoeneß’s side. The uncertainty that once surrounded Stuttgart has been replaced by a recognisable identity: proactivity, bravery in possession and an emphasis on the collective.
That identity was clear for all to see on Matchday 24. Needing a win at home against Wolfsburg to further cement their place in the Bundesliga top four, Stuttgart put on an attacking clinic in the first half. It was just what Hoeneß called on his players to do before the match: "With the fans behind us, we want to start the game dominant and full of joy, bring a lot of intensity into the match, and turn the game in our favour," explained the head coach in his pre-match press conference.
Undav opened the scoring with a trademark poacher's finish from close range, scoring his 50th goal for Stuttgart since arriving at the club in the summer of 2024. Having played 104 times for the Swabian club to date, he has averaged just under a goal every other game.
Hoeneß was full of praise for his players at full-time. “The first half was fantastic. You could see that the boys were enjoying themselves; they played with a lot of attacking purpose and got into the penalty area frequently.
"On top of that, they managed to get the scoreline to correspond to their dominance and went into half-time with a clear lead. We defended well as a team and even managed to get a fourth goal at the end. We had a lot of top-quality performances today. It was a good day for us.”
While Undav's performance against Wolfsburg was exemplary, it was the contribution of another German international that really made waves. From minute one until his second-half substitution, Leweling didn't give the Wolves' defence a moment's rest. After creating two chances early on, he scored Stuttgart's second and third goals to take the game away from relegation-threatened Wolfsburg in some style.
With a FIFA World Cup on the horizon, he looks to be hitting form at just the right time. Indeed, six of his seven goals in the Bundesliga this season have come since the turn of the year. He, like Undav, is in top form - and is very much a contender to make Julian Nagelsmann's Germany squad for the World Cup.
It's set to be a defining few months for all concerned with Stuttgart. Alongside trying to secure automatic UEFA Champions League qualification, Stuttgart have a DFB Pokal semi-final and a Europa League last 16 tie to prepare for. Within his first 100 Bundesliga matches as Stuttgart manager, Hoeneß has successfully transformed the side from relegation candidates to perennial cup contenders. The club are back amongst Germany's elite, and they are surely here to stay.
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