Champions League

SLO Bratislava Slovan Bratislava - VFB Stuttgart VfB Stuttgart

Bratislava Slovan Bratislava

Stuttgart VfB Stuttgart

90'
E. Demirović
65'
S. Cruz

29'
D. Undav

Národný futbalový štadión

Irfan Peljto

Full-time: Slovan 0-3 Stuttgart

Stuttgart make it two Champions League wins from two with a clinical performance. They weren't always the dominant side, but they took their chances well, and they've set themselves up very nicely for the rest of the league phase. Next up are Atlético Madrid.

Full-time

90'

+ 4

Leweling denied

Leweling finishes a Stuttgart counter by cutting inside on his left with a neat double stepover, before firing a low shot straight at the goalkeeper.

90'

+ 3

Marcelli again

This time, Marcelli tries his luck from range, although the shot never looked threatening.

90'

+ 2

Narrowly over

A low cross from the byline finds Marcelli in the centre, but he can only fire over from a great position.

90'

+ 1

Added time

Five extra minutes will be played at the end of this one.

Demirović seals the win

And it comes from a stunning delivery from the returning Assignon. His cross from the right is perfect for Demirović, who has a simple header at the back post. Stuttgart are cruising now.

90'

Ermedin Demirović

GOAL!

0:3

Assist:L. Assignon

86'

Substitution

Lorenz Assignon

Josha Vagnoman

86'

Counter stopped

Pokorný brings down the advancing Demirović and earns himself a booking.

86'

Yellow card

Peter Pokorný

83'

That would have been tight

Leweling is fed in behind with just the keeper to beat, but he can't do it and then up goes the flag. That would have been a tight call should Leweling have taken the chance.

More control now

That second Stuttgart goal has given the visitors a bit more control. They look comfortable now.

81'

Substitution

Nino Marcelli

Suleiman Sanneh

81'

Substitution

Alasana Yirajang

Andraž Šporar

81'

Substitution

Roman Čerepkai

Tigran Barseghyan

80'

Substitution

Ermedin Demirović

Bilal El Khannouss

80'

Substitution

Atakan Karazor

Angelo Stiller

78'

Not far away

A short free-kick is then chipped into the box, but it has just too much on it for Šporar.

77'

Yellow card

Josha Vagnoman

75'

The hosts look to respond

Wimmer and Gajdoš are now on for Slovan as they chase a way back into the game.

75'

Substitution

Kevin Wimmer

Sandro Cruz

75'

Substitution

Artur Gajdoš

Cristian Martínez

74'

Why didn't he shoot?

Undav is fed through in the box by Stiller and has space to shoot with his left, but for some he reason opts to try and square the ball when shooting seemed the obvious option.

72'

Immediate chance for Sauer

The two subs almost combine immediately as Leweling fires in a low cross that Sauer meets, but he can only shoot the bobbling cross over the bar. That wasn't an easy chance, but Sauer should have perhaps done better.

71'

Double change

Sauer and Leweling enter the action in place of Führich and Pejčinović.

71'

Substitution

Jamie Leweling

Dženan Pejčinović

71'

Substitution

Leo Sauer

Chris Führich

69'

Slovan haven't given up

Barseghyan gets into the box and tees up Blackman, but Chabot does well to get his body in the way.

66'

Ambitious

Martínez tries his luck with a bouncing ball from a tough angle and brings Bredlow into action. It would have had to of been a rather special strike to beat the Stuttgart keeper like that.

So unlucky

But Stuttgart won't care in the slightest. El Khannouss finds Vagnoman on the byline. He tries to send in a low cross, but his delivery deflects off Cruz and rolls through the legs of Takáč before ending up in the back of the net.

65'

Sandro Cruz

OWN GOAL!

0:2

63'

Martínez denied

Slovan are looking threatening as this time Martínez has a powerful shot blocked in front of the goalkeeper.

62'

Could have been more

Undav is found on the edge of the box, and he feeds El Khannouss to his right, but his shot is well charged down by Cruz.

61'

Cruz hits the bar

Moments after Barseghyan has a shot blocked, Cruz tries his luck from the edge of the box and thunders a shot off the woodwork. That would have been a spectacular strike.

60'

Dangerous

Šporar and Martínez combine down the right, but the former can't find a teammate with a low cross.

57'

Big chance

El Khannouss whips in a low cross that finds Pejčinović in the centre, but he gets it all wrong and somehow doesn't even get a shot away from point-blank range.

53'

Camara levels or does he?

A long ball forward is seemingly missed by both Šporar and Chabot, and suddenly Camara is away in behind. He bursts through on goal before tucking the ball neatly into the bottom right, but up goes the flag. After a long review, the decision is upheld as presumably Šporar did make contact with the ball.

47'

Wild

Slovan look dangerous for a moment as Cristian Martínez breaks away down the right, but his cross is cleared. Barseghyan then tries his luck from the edge of the box and rather skies his shot.

46'

Back underway

The ball is moving in Bratislava once again. Can Stuttgart improve on their solid first-half display?

Kick-off!

Half-time: Slovan 0-1 Stuttgart

Stuttgart lead at the break thanks to Undav's strike and deservedly so. Large periods of the half were slow, but each time Stuttgart move the ball quickly, Slovan just can't deal with them.

Half-time

45'

Führich has a go

Quick football gives Führich shooting space on the left this time, and his curling effort is well pushed behind by Takáč.

44'

El Khannouss denied

The Moroccan dips onto his left and brings a fine save out of Takáč with a powerful low drive.

41'

Off target

A ball from the right somehow finds its way to Martínez in the box, but his shot is a long way from hitting the target.

36'

Fired over

Barseghyan shoots, but misses the target by some distance.

35'

Dangerous delivery

Takáč rather flaps at a Führich cross and misses the ball, but luckily for him, there is no Stuttgart player waiting behind him to turn the ball home.

34'

That was almost sensational!

A Stuttgart corner is cleared out to the edge of the box and met on the volley by Vagnoman. He connects viciously on the volley, hitting a powerful strike that bounces off the crossbar.

31'

Side netting

Blackman tries his luck from a tight angle, and his shot deflects into the side netting. The resulting corner is cleared.

Undav opens the scoring

Stuttgart break forward smoothly down the right, and Stiller is found in the centre. He feeds Undav on the left of the box, and his left-footed shot takes a slight deflection as it bobbles into the far corner. That'll be a real relief for the Germany striker after his slow start to the season.

29'

Deniz Undav

GOAL!

0:1

Assist:A. Stiller

28'

Better from Slovan

Šporar has a couple of efforts that are charged down.

26'

Another booking

El Khannouss drags Camara to the ground and gets himself a booking.

26'

Yellow card

Bilal El Khannouss

24'

How did that stay out?!

Führich lofts a free-kick to the back post that is headed down by Chabot. Undav is waiting in the centre, and he fires an effort towards goal that Takáč somehow saves with an outstretched leg. The ball then loops up into the air before being scrambled off the line by a combination of three Slovan players. Undav then manages to shoot again, but once again there is a body in the way, and Slovan eventually clear as Prömel tries to shoot.

20'

Blocked

At the other end, Martínez has an optimistic effort blocked early by Stiller.

20'

Almost a way through

Führich pinches possession on halfway and bursts forward to the edge of the box before feeding Undav in behind. Undav has Pejčinović completely free in the centre, but his pass can't quite find a way through. Pejčinović would have had a massive chance had the ball reached him.

15'

Hendriks heads over

That was a decent opportunity. Führich has space to cross from the right, and Hendriks runs onto it and meets it with his head, but he heads the ball comfortably over the bar. That felt like a good chance to test the goalkeeper.

Stuttgart carrying a set-piece threat

The visitors have just about had the better of the game so far and have caused Slovan a couple of problems from set pieces.

12'

First yellow

Hendriks is caught the wrong side of Barseghyan and brings him down, earning himself the first card of the night.

12'

Yellow card

Ramon Hendriks

Vagnoman denied

The ball is neatly threaded through for Vagnoman, who bursts away before firing in a shot that Takáč parries behind. The resulting corner is flicked wide of the mark.

Headed over

Prömel meets Stiller's corner in the middle, but he can only nod over the bar from a good position.

Awkward

Camara gets forward down the left and sends in a cross that Bredlow has to claw away from his goal. That was almost an awkward moment for the Stuttgart goalkeeper.

We're underway

The ball is moving in Bratislava.

Kick-off!

Here we go

The players are ready to get going.

Players in the tunnel

Less than five minutes now until the ball gets moving.

Players warming up

Both sets of players are out on the pitch going through their final preparations ahead of kick-off. Just 20 minutes now until we get underway.

Three Slovan starters remain

When Slovan faced Stuttgart back in January 2025 in the league phase, Takáč, Bajrić and Blackman all started that day as well.

Slovan team news

Touré also makes five changes from Slovan's draw at the weekend as Blackman, Sandro Cruz, Pokorný, Martínez, and Camara all come into the starting XI.

Stuttgart team news

Hoeneß makes five changes from Stuttgart's success against Paderborn at the weekend as Bredlow returns in goal instead of Seimen. Outfield, Jeltsch, Prömel (pictured), El Khannouss and Pejčinović come in to replace the injured Mittelstädt, as well as Karazor, Leweling and Demirović, who all start on the bench. That also means that Chabot starts, having been a doubt due to a knock picked up at the weekend.

Starting line-up: ŠK Slovan Bratislava

Formation:4-2-3-1

Slovan subs

Popović, Camara, Kozlovský, Wimmer, Gajdoš, Ibrahim, Ihnatenko, Matsuoka, Čerepkai, Marcelli, Maroš, Yirajan

Starting line-up: VfB Stuttgart

Formation:4-2-3-1

Stuttgart subs

Funk, Seimen, Assignon, Jaquez, Karazor, Leweling, Spalt, Demirović, Sauer

Jamie Leweling on his 2024/25 double in Bratislava

"It's a long time ago now, but it gives me a good feeling. The most important thing is that we get the three points this time too, and that we end up with six points from our first two games. Champions League matches are always a big deal. We can't wait to get under way."

Sebastian Hoeneß on facing Slovan Bratislava

"We're playing in the Champions League and we're playing against the Slovakian champions. They play good football here and that's why we have arrived with great respect. That's necessary in the Champions League."

Dropped points

The Slovakian champions have had an underwhelming start to the domestic season by their own lofty standards and currently sit fourth, six points off the top spot. On Saturday, they were held to a 1-1 draw by ninth-placed MFK Skalica.

Yaya Touré on facing Stuttgart

"I analysed them a lot and Stuttgart is a brilliant team. For the last two or three years, they have always been around the top of the league in Germany. I have good friends there [in Germany] who can give me some good advice about Stuttgart. Physically, they are one of the best teams in Europe. They play offensive and attractive football with two strikers who are very strong."

Mittelstädt blow

Maximilian Mittelstädt is expected to miss Wednesday's game after suffering a cut to his right heel during Saturday's 2-0 victory. Fit-again defender Luca Jaquez could be involved after returning to full training last week, but Dan-Axel Zagadou, Tiago Tomás, Nicolas Nartey, Justin Diehl and Ameen Al-Dakhil all remain unavailable.

Hoeneß delighted with defensive display

"We're happy with the result and delighted to have picked up all three points," Hoeneß said. "We started the game well, had plenty of control and created a few chances. Above all, I want to praise the entire team for their defensive performance."

2:03

Watch: Paderborn 0-2 Stuttgart - highlights

Jeff Chabot and Chris Führich were on target as Stuttgart returned to action following the international break with a hard-fought victory at promoted Paderborn.

An evening to forget

Touré's side were no match for reigning European champions PSG on Matchday 1 as a Ferran Torres hat-trick, a double from former Borussia Dortmund star Ousmane Dembélé and a late effort from Fabián Ruiz condemned Bratislava to a 6-1 defeat. Suleiman Camara was on target for the visitors in Paris.

Big name in the dugout

Bratislava are coached by former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Touré, who is the first African to take charge of a club in the Champions League. "I'm very happy to be given the opportunity here and to be able to work with this great team," the four-time African Footballer of the Year said at his unveiling back in June.

More of the same, please!

The Swabians triumphed by the same scoreline when these teams last locked horns in the competition in January 2025. A first-half Jamie Leweling double and a late Fabian Rieder strike secured a 3-1 victory in Slovakia - but Hoeneß's charges ended up missing out on a place in the top 24 after losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain on Matchday 8.

Stuttgart eye back-to-back wins

Ermedin Demirović scored a hat-trick inside 13 first-half minutes as Sebastian Hoeneß's side beat Norwegian side Viking 3-1 at home last month to make a winning start to their league-phase campaign.

Welcome!

Follow all of the build-up and live action as VfB Stuttgart visit Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CEST).