CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | VfB Stuttgart |
| League | Bundesliga |
| Manager | Sebastian Hoeneß |
| Stadium | MHPArena |
| Nickname | Die Schwaben |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Defensive Crisis | Right-back (multiple injuries) |
| Key Absentees | Luca Jaquez (ribs), Josha Vagnoman (thigh), Lorenz Assignon (shoulder) |
| Current League Position | 8th (12 points from 9 matches) |
The Defining Moment
VfB Stuttgart’s defensive department entered 2026/27 with a problem that no amount of tactical planning could solve. The right-back position, intended to be occupied by Lorenz Assignon after his summer arrival, became a revolving door of injuries, improvisations, and out-of-position stopgaps. By November, the situation had become a genuine crisis.
The defining moment came on 8 November 2026, in the aftermath of the 2-1 defeat at Werder Bremen. Luca Jaquez, the Swiss centre-back who had been deployed at right-back in Assignon’s absence, was forced off with two fractured ribs . The injury removed the latest solution to a problem that had persisted since the season’s opening weeks. Josha Vagnoman, the original emergency option, was still recovering from a thigh injury sustained against Atlético Madrid. Assignon, signed to be the first choice, had not yet recovered his fitness after shoulder surgery .
The numbers reflect a defence in flux. Stuttgart have conceded 15 goals in nine Bundesliga matches—a rate of 1.67 per game—and sit eighth in the table with 12 points . The attacking output has been productive (15 goals scored), but the defensive structure has been undermined by the inability to field a settled back line. The right side, in particular, has been a vulnerability that opponents have exploited repeatedly.
This is the story of Stuttgart’s 2026/27 defenders: a right-back crisis that has forced the manager into improvisation, a collection of centre-backs asked to play out of position, and a left side that has been the one reliable constant in an otherwise unsettled defensive unit.
Tactical Context
Sebastian Hoeneß has alternated between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-4-3 this season, the latter employed to provide greater defensive solidity when the personnel available have demanded it . The shift to a back three has allowed Hoeneß to deploy Maximilian Mittelstädt, the standout left-back, in a more central role, while compensating for the absence of a reliable right-back by using a wing-back system that asks less of the full-back defensively .
The numbers reveal the trade-off. In the seven matches before the Leverkusen victory, Stuttgart conceded 13 goals in seven matches under the 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-3 variants . The 4-2 victory at Leverkusen on 31 October, in which Hoeneß deployed a back three, offered a glimpse of what the system could produce when the personnel fit: four goals scored, two conceded, and a performance of control that had been absent in previous weeks .
The defensive challenge is not merely one of personnel. Stuttgart’s aggressive, possession-oriented approach leaves the back line exposed to transitions, and the absence of a settled right-back has exacerbated the vulnerability. The 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich in the opening fixture set the tone: Stuttgart had 41% possession and conceded five goals, with Vagnoman scoring an own goal in a performance that encapsulated the difficulties of the early season .
The return of Vagnoman, expected after the international break, offers the most immediate solution. The 25-year-old, who had been a transfer candidate in the summer, had played his way back into contention before his injury against Atlético . His availability would allow Hoeneß to restore a natural right-back to the position, freeing Jaquez and the other centre-backs from emergency duty.
The Defenders
Maximilian Mittelstädt
Mittelstädt has been the one reliable constant in Stuttgart’s defensive unit. The 29-year-old left-back, a Germany international, has started nearly every match and has been deployed in a more central role when Hoeneß has shifted to a back three . His profile is that of the modern attacking full-back: comfortable in possession, capable of delivering crosses, and intelligent in his positioning.
His numbers reflect his importance. He has been among the most consistent performers in the squad, and his ability to adapt to both left-back and left centre-back has given Hoeneß tactical flexibility that few other defenders provide. In the 4-1 victory over Köln, Mittelstädt’s overlap and cutback created the second goal, a sequence that encapsulated his value to the team’s attacking structure .
At 29, Mittelstädt is in his prime. His continued availability is essential to a defence that has been stripped of other options.
Luca Jaquez
Jaquez is a centre-back by trade who has been forced into the right-back role by circumstance. The 22-year-old Swiss defender, who joined from Luzern, returned from the World Cup with adductor problems and was initially limited in his availability . When called upon, he delivered performances that belied his lack of experience at full-back, including a strong showing against Werder Bremen before his injury.
His two fractured ribs, sustained in that match, have removed him from contention until at least December . His absence is a significant blow, as he had emerged as the most convincing stopgap solution to the right-back problem.
Josha Vagnoman
Vagnoman is the natural right-back whose season has been interrupted by injury. The 25-year-old, who had been a transfer candidate in the summer and was linked with Hull City, played his way back into the starting line-up after Assignon’s fitness struggles . His performances before the thigh injury against Atlético were “satisfactory” according to Kicker, and his return is eagerly anticipated .
His profile is that of the athletic, forward-thinking full-back: capable of overlapping, delivering crosses, and contributing to the attack. In the 4-1 victory over Köln, he struck the crossbar and supplied the fourth goal with a stoppage-time volley, demonstrating the attacking threat he provides when fit .
At 25, Vagnoman is in his prime. His return after the international break would solve the right-back crisis, at least temporarily.
Lorenz Assignon
Assignon is the intended first-choice right-back whose season has yet to begin. The Frenchman, signed from Rennes, underwent shoulder surgery during the summer break and has not recovered sufficiently to claim the position he was brought in to fill . When he has featured, he has “failed to provide proof of sufficient form,” according to Kicker .
His profile is that of the modern, attacking full-back: fast, direct, and comfortable in possession. At 26, he should be entering his prime, but the combination of surgery and fitness issues has delayed his integration into the squad.
Finn Jeltsch
Jeltsch is the young centre-back who has been mentioned as a potential emergency right-back option. The 19-year-old Germany international, who joined from Nürnberg in February 2025, has established himself as a first-team regular despite his age . His composure and positional intelligence have earned him comparisons with more experienced defenders.
His deployment at right-back would be an improvisation, but his versatility and intelligence make him a viable option if Vagnoman and Jaquez are unavailable .
Ameen Al-Dakhil
Al-Dakhil is another centre-back who could be asked to fill the right-back role. The Belgian, who impressed in pre-season, has been largely confined to the bench but offers physical presence and recovery speed . His lack of experience at full-back is a concern, but the depth of the crisis may force Hoeneß to turn to him.
Dan-Axel Zagadou
Zagadou is the forgotten man of Stuttgart’s defence, a 27-year-old centre-back whose injury problems have limited his availability. He was working his way back to fitness after a thigh injury in November . When fit, he offers a physically imposing presence and left-footed balance to the back line.
Angelo Stiller
Stiller is nominally a midfielder, but his role in Stuttgart’s build-up often sees him drop between the centre-backs to initiate attacks. In the 4-1 victory over Köln, he “regularly dropped between or alongside the centre-backs to organize buildup,” a tactical mechanism that allows Stuttgart to create numerical superiority in the first phase . His defensive contribution is not his primary function, but his positioning is integral to the team’s structure.
The Numbers Game
Table A: VfB Stuttgart Defender Bundesliga Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximilian Mittelstädt | Left-Back | Most reliable defender; adaptable |
| Josha Vagnoman | Right-Back | Injured; returning after international break |
| Luca Jaquez | Centre-Back/Right-Back | Fractured ribs; out until December |
| Lorenz Assignon | Right-Back | Shoulder surgery; fitness concerns |
| Finn Jeltsch | Centre-Back | Young regular; emergency right-back option |
| Ameen Al-Dakhil | Centre-Back | Squad option; could fill right-back |
| Dan-Axel Zagadou | Centre-Back | Returning from thigh injury |
Table B: VfB Stuttgart Defence – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Conceded per Game | 1.67 | 15 in 9 Bundesliga matches |
| Record | 4W-0D-5L | 8th in Bundesliga |
| Goals Scored per Game | 1.67 | 15 in 9 matches |
| Right-Back Starters Used | 4+ | Assignon, Vagnoman, Jaquez, Jeltsch |
| Clean Sheets | 2 | vs Paderborn, vs Köln (partial) |
Table C: Defender Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximilian Mittelstädt | Germany | Hertha Berlin | Attacking left-back, crossing, adaptable |
| Josha Vagnoman | Germany | Hamburger SV | Athletic right-back, attacking, injury-prone |
| Luca Jaquez | Switzerland | Luzern | Composed centre-back, emergency full-back |
| Lorenz Assignon | France | Rennes | Attacking right-back, fitness concerns |
| Finn Jeltsch | Germany | Nürnberg | Intelligent centre-back, versatile |
| Ameen Al-Dakhil | Belgium | Burnley | Physical centre-back, recovery speed |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Stuttgart’s defensive unit is a study in improvisation under duress. The right-back position, intended to be settled by Assignon’s arrival, has become a constant source of instability. Vagnoman’s injury, Jaquez’s emergency deployment and subsequent rib fracture, and Assignon’s fitness struggles have combined to create a situation where Hoeneß has been forced to choose between out-of-position centre-backs and a formation change .
The numbers tell a story of a defence that has been adequate rather than secure. Fifteen goals conceded in nine matches is a mid-table record, neither catastrophic nor convincing. The attacking output—also 15 goals—has kept Stuttgart competitive, but the defensive fragility has prevented the team from building momentum. The 5-1 defeat at Bayern and the 3-2 home loss to Gladbach exposed the vulnerabilities that a settled back line might have masked.
The depth is illusory. Beyond Mittelstädt, no defender has been reliably available. Jeltsch and Al-Dakhil are centre-backs by trade. Zagadou’s fitness cannot be relied upon. The return of Vagnoman is the most immediate solution, but his injury history suggests that the crisis may recur.
The January window may offer an opportunity to add defensive cover, but Stuttgart’s resources have been directed toward the attacking signings—Pejčinović, El Khannouss, Sauer—that were intended to strengthen a Champions League squad . The priority, if any, would be a full-back capable of providing cover on both flanks.
The Verdict from the Camp
Kicker, on the right-back crisis:
“Potenzielle Rechtsverteidiger hat der VfB Stuttgart genug. Doch entweder sind sie verletzt, nicht in Form oder nur Stellvertreter. Wie geht es nach der Länderspielpause weiter?”
Kicker, on Jaquez’s injury:
“Es wäre ein Comeback zur rechten Zeit, nachdem sich jetzt Luca Jaquez gegen Bremen verletzt abmelden musste. Zwar besteht auch beim Schweizer Abwehrmann Hoffnung. Allerdings sind Zweifel angebracht bei zwei angebrochenen Rippen.”
OneFootball, on Hoeneß’s options:
“Sollte Vagnoman nicht rechtzeitig fit werden, könnte Hoeneß erneut improvisieren müssen. Mit Finn Jeltsch und Ameen Al-Dakhil stehen zwei gelernte Innenverteidiger bereit, die auch rechts aushelfen können.”
Where Next?
Stuttgart’s defensive priority is clear: they need Vagnoman to return and stay fit. The 25-year-old is the only natural right-back in the squad who has demonstrated the quality and durability to hold the position. His return after the international break would allow Jaquez to recover without pressure, Assignon to build fitness gradually, and Hoeneß to restore a settled back line.
The development of Jeltsch is the secondary subplot. At 19, he has already established himself as a first-team regular, and his versatility—capable of playing centre-back and emergency right-back—makes him a valuable asset in a squad short on defensive options. His continued growth will determine whether Stuttgart’s defence becomes a long-term strength.
The January window is unlikely to bring significant defensive reinforcements. Stuttgart’s resources have been committed to the attacking rebuild, and the club’s Champions League ambitions depend on those signings delivering. The priority is to survive the current crisis and hope that the injury situation improves before the season’s decisive moments.
For now, Stuttgart’s defenders are a unit defined by absence and improvisation. Mittelstädt leads, Vagnoman waits, and the centre-backs fill gaps they were never signed to fill. The question is whether the right side can be stabilised before the Champions League and Bundesliga schedules demand consistency. The early-season evidence suggests that Vagnoman’s return is the only viable solution—and that Stuttgart’s season may depend on his fitness.
