VfB Stuttgart out of UEFA Champions League after PSG defeat
VfB Stuttgart fell agonisingly short of progression to the UEFA Champions League last 16 play-offs following a 4-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and unfavourable results elsewhere.
Stuttgart knew a positive result at home to the Ligue 1 champions would secure their place in the play-off round, but they never really got going. They were down within six minutes as Bradley Barcola headed home Désiré Doué's flick-on from a corner while unmarked at the back post. Had Chris Führich's effort shortly after not been fantastically pushed to safety by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the night may have panned out differently, yet seconds after that intervention PSG were two to the good when Ousmane Dembélé finished off a lightining-quick counter-attack. While Fabian Bredlow produced a stunning stop of his own to stop Doué from extending the advantage further, there was nothing he could do to keep out Dembélé's fierce strike from a tight angle as the Parisians went into the break with the victory all but secured.
The Swabians returned from the interval with renewed vigour, but they were soon watching on when Dembélé netted for a third time, on this occasion linking up with fellow Dortmund alumni Achraf Hakimi before curling into the top corner. With little left on the line, both coaches rang the changes as they looked to avoid any injuries as the game approached its climax. Stuttgart did eventually have something to celebrate when ex-Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho poked into his own net with less than 15 minutes remaining. Ermedin Demirović had a chance to reduce the deficit further, but hit the side netting as Stuttgart said goodbye to the tournament. This was a forgettable evening for Sebastian Hoeneß' men, yet they have made plenty of memories along the way, in particular the 1-0 victory over Juventus in Turin, and this experience is something they can use to fuel them for the remainder of the current season and beyond.
Jamie Leweling battles for the ball alongside Willian Pacho. - FRANCK FIFE
Match stats
This was Stuttgart's first defeat in three home games.
The Swabians end the competition having scored in all but one of their league phase matches this term.
These were Dembélé's first goals against a German club since his exit from Dortmund in 2017.
Stuttgart have now lost two of their past five home matches against French opposition.
Bredlow was making his first appearance in this season's Champions League.
Stuttgart end the league phase with 13 goals, the joint-most of the eight teams knocked out of the competition.
Champions League League phase, Matchday 8 League phase, Matchday 8 MHPArena
Full-time: VfB Stuttgart 1-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Stuttgart are out of the Champions League following a heavy defeat against PSG. Bradley Barcola opened the scoring inside 10 minutes, before an Ousmane Dembélé hat-trick secured the points for the visitors. A Willian Pacho own goal did give something for Stuttgart to celebrate, but by that point the damage was already done.
Just as Stuttgart appeared to be building up a bit of steam, PSG strike what will surely be the decisive blow. It is Dembélé again, as he curls into the top corner from inside the box.
It may be a little late, but Stuttgart are showing plenty of intensity at the start of this second half.
48'
Off target
Chabot can't direct his header towards goal and it instead sails past the post.
46'
Wide
Dembélé has an early chance to complete his hat-trick. However, on this occasion he gets it wrong and it flies harmlessly wide of the post.
Kick-off!
Half-time: VfB Stuttgart 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain
It has been a chastening first half for the hosts, who are three behind and on their way out of the competition. Bradley Barcola's header opened the scoring, while a double from former Borussia Dortmund man Ousmane Dembélé put the visitors in total control. Stuttgart have had a couple of chances, but have not created anywhere near enough to get back into this one.
A chance for Stuttgart right at the death, as Millot puts into the side netting.
40'
Stuttgart probing
The home team are enjoying a rare spell of sustained possession as they look for a lifeline before the break.
35'
PSG in total control
The Parisians have been superb tonight, and Dembélé has a second, hammering an unstoppable shot across Bredlow and into the far corner. Stuttgart just don't have the answers right now.
Stuttgart have looked dangerous when they have managed to get forward. They will need to continue to do so to get anything from this match.
16'
Another for PSG
Seconds after that Führich opportunity, the Parisians break down the other end and double their advantage as Barcola squares for Dembélé to tap into an empty net.
Stuttgart should be level! Leweling does brilliantly down the left to beat Hakimi before squaring to Führich, but his shot is fantastically stopped by Donnarumma.
12'
Save
A first break forward from Stuttgart, and Führich sees a shot saved by Donnarumma. He will feel he could have done better if he had initially carried on before checking his run, but it is a first real sign of life.
11'
Stuggling to make an impact
The Swabians have been unable to put Donnarumma under any real pressure so far.
6'
PSG in front
The French champions socre from a corner, as Doué flicks on for Barcola to head home unmarked at the back post. Work for Stuttgart to do here.
Should Stuttgart win tonight, they will have won consecutive Champions League matches for the first time since 2003/04, when they won three matches at their home ground on the trot.
Stuttgart team news
Sebastian Hoeneß makes three changes to the team that lost at Mainz at the weekend. Alexander Nübel was unable to recover from illness in time for this one, meaning Fabian Bredlow takes his place, while Jacob Bruun Larsen and Nick Woltemade make way for Enzo Millot and Jamie Leweling.
With Nuno Mendes suspended, Luis Enrique brings former Eintracht Frankfurt man Willian Pacho into the side. Ex-Borussia Dortmund man Achraf Hakimi also starts, as does Lucas Hernández, once of Bayern Munich.
If Stuttgart do manage to reach the Play-offs and then win through to the Round of 16, it will be the first time the Swabians have progressed that far in the competition since all the way back in 2009/10, when they drew Barcelona. They made it that far in 2003/04 as well.
Stuttgart have a competition-leading spread of 10 different scorers in this season's edition of the Champions League, with Leweling and Millot top of the in-house charts on two goals apiece.
Stuttgart's top scorer in the league phase is Enzo Millot. The Frenchman has been directly involved in a club-record five goals so far, scoring twice and providing three assists. He is also Stuttgart's top performer in terms of successful dribbles (11) and shots on target (17).
VfB have only lost one of their four Champions League games against French teams (2-0 to Olympique Lyon in the 2007/08 group stage). Meanwhile PSG have lost eight of their 13 Champions League away games against German teams, winning three and drawing two.
A draw should be enough
If the two teams share the points on Wednesday, both would almost certainly be in the Play-offs. Only Zagreb and Manchester City could then draw level with PSG or VfB with a win. However, due to the goal difference, City's opponents Bruges would slip behind Paris and Stuttgart. Zagreb would also have to win by seven goals against AC Milan to be able to match the Swabians' goal difference.
Can Stuttgart emulate Bayern?
This will be Paris' 33rd game against German opposition in UEFA competition. They boast a winning record (W15 D4 L13), but fell to a 1-0 defeat against Bayern on Matchday 5.
"After analysis, I am not surprised by their second place in the Bundesliga last season. They have high-level players, internationals. They are a team that attacks very well and also knows how to defend well. They are a very difficult team to play against and, while they are a team from pot 4, they have a higher level than the majority of teams in this pot. This match will be difficult, also because we are playing at their place."
"I don't know how to play for a draw. We want to prepare as best as possible and play our game. Against an opponent like Paris Saint-Germain, you have to prepare for their game too. Everything else is irrelevant."
The French capital club sit level on points with Stuttgart, and have also won their last two games, against RB Salzburg (3-0) and Manchester City (4-2). Their impressive win last time out against City has also got them in with a chance of reaching the seeded playoff places, making this an even more exciting tie.
The story so far: Stuttgart
Sebastian Hoeneß's men sit in 24th, on 10 points. They're just two points off the seeded playoff places, and have won their last two games in the competition against Young Boys (5-1) and Slovan Bratislava (3-1). Most impressive was their 1-0 win away to Juventus in October, and they'll need to re-create some of that magic if they're to win against PSG.
Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of VfB Stuttgart's eighth and final game of the UEFA Champions League's 2024/25 league phase at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, with all 18 fixtures being played simultaneously on the final matchday.
