VfB Stuttgart captain Deniz Undav is at the centre of debate following a 4:1 home win over 1. FC Cologne, due to a dip in form and a fresh injury concern. The 30-year-old striker failed to score again and was substituted with an Achilles tendon problem.
The victory moved Sebastian Hoeneß's side up to 7th place in the Bundesliga, with three points from two games and a goal difference of 5:6. Their next match is away to 1899 Hoffenheim on September 12th. Ahead of a key Champions League fixture against Viking Stavanger on Wednesday (18:45 CET, live on DAZN), Undav's potential absence looms large.
Deniz Undav had a difficult evening. His only notable chance came as early as the 19th minute. For long stretches, the attacker, who was also ineffective in the season opener against Bayern Munich (1:5), remained quiet. His performance was rated with a grade of 5. Shortly after his substitution in the 70th minute, replacement Ermedin Demirovic scored the decisive 3:0 goal, which Undav celebrated from the bench. Afterwards, the captain limped through the tunnels of the MHPArena and declined to speak to reporters.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß defended his player after the final whistle. "That is the lot of a superstar, that after a 4:1 win his performance is discussed," said the 44-year-old. At the same time, he confirmed the injury worries: "Deniz indicated when he was substituted that he has problems with his Achilles tendon." This information casts doubt on selection plans for the upcoming matches, especially given the already lengthy injury list featuring names like Dan Zagadou and Tiago Tomás.
Despite his current goal drought, Undav remains a central figure. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth commented on the striker's phases. On the pitch, Undav was constantly communicating with his teammates as captain. His injury comes at an inopportune time as the team needs to build momentum looking at the league standings. The current record of one win and one loss shows that any boost to the attack would be welcome.
The coming days will be dominated by the medical assessment of Undav. His availability for the Champions League on Wednesday is in doubt. Regardless, the team, sitting in 7th place, must compensate for the absence of several key players. Preparations for the away match in Hoffenheim on September 12th are already underway.
Germany national team head coach Jürgen Klopp, who watched the Cologne match, will be following the VfB captain's development with particular interest. For VfB Stuttgart, the task now is to build on their successful start to the season despite personnel shortages.
