CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | VfB Stuttgart |
| League | Bundesliga |
| Manager | Sebastian Hoeneß |
| Stadium | MHPArena |
| Nickname | Die Schwaben |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Leading Scorer | Ermedin Demirović (8 goals) |
| Record Signing | Dženan Pejčinović (€25m from Wolfsburg) |
| Captain | Deniz Undav |
| Current League Position | 11th |
The Defining Moment
VfB Stuttgart’s forward line entered 2026/27 with a rare luxury: three proven strikers competing for two starting positions. Ermedin Demirović, the Bosnian international who had scored 32 goals in his first two seasons at the club, remained despite strong interest from Galatasaray. Deniz Undav, the record signing from Brighton, was handed the captaincy. Dženan Pejčinović arrived from Wolfsburg for €25 million, the second-most expensive transfer in the club’s history, to provide youthful competition .
The defining moment of the season came not with an arrival, but with a crisis of confidence. By late October, Undav had scored just one goal in eleven competitive matches, and none in seven Bundesliga appearances. Lothar Matthäus, speaking on Sky90, offered a theory that cut to the heart of Stuttgart’s attacking dilemma: “He has lost his lightness. He has lost his smile. Perhaps he is thinking too much. Maybe they did him no favour with the captaincy, because he is too occupied with himself” .
The numbers reflected a forward line that had become dangerously dependent on a single source. Demirović had scored five Bundesliga goals and four in the Champions League, making him the club’s leading scorer in both competitions. Undav had one goal in eleven matches. Pejčinović had been goalless for over two months. Stuttgart’s season, which had begun with Champions League ambitions, was threatening to unravel because only one of their three strikers was delivering .
This is the story of Stuttgart’s 2026/27 forwards: a Bosnian who nearly left and became indispensable, a captain whose armband may have become a burden, and a record signing still searching for his first Bundesliga goal.
Tactical Context
Hoeneß’s attacking structure has been shaped by the demands of a Champions League campaign. With fixtures arriving every three or four days, the coach has rotated between a 4-2-3-1 and a system featuring two strikers, often deploying Demirović and Undav together in the latter . The intention was to use the depth of his forward line to manage the workload across three competitions.
The numbers reveal the imbalance that has undermined that plan. Stuttgart have scored 14 goals in eight Bundesliga matches — a respectable return of 1.75 per game — but the distribution is heavily skewed toward Demirović. His five league goals account for over a third of the team’s total. Undav has zero. Pejčinović has zero .
The tactical challenge is the captaincy. Undav was appointed to replace Atakan Karazor in the summer, a decision intended to recognise his standing in the dressing room and his importance to the project. Instead, the weight of leadership appears to have coincided with a loss of the instinctive, free-scoring form that made him Stuttgart’s record signing. Matthäus’s assessment — that Undav is “too occupied with himself” — raises a question Hoeneß must confront: whether to relieve his captain of the armband to restore his attacking freedom, or to persist and hope that the goals return .
The supporting cast has offered little relief. Jamie Leweling has contributed from wide areas, his goal against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League a reminder of his quality, but he is a creator rather than a finisher. Leo Sauer, the young Slovakian winger signed from Feyenoord, has been used sparingly. The burden on Demirović has been relentless .
The Forwards
Ermedin Demirović
Demirović is the leading scorer and the only Stuttgart forward performing at his expected level. The 28-year-old Bosnian international, who arrived from Augsburg in 2024, has scored five goals in eight Bundesliga matches and four in the Champions League, making him the club’s most productive attacker in both competitions . His profile is that of the complete forward: physically robust, technically capable, and possessing the movement to arrive in the right positions at the right moments.
His numbers reflect his importance. Eight goals in all competitions by early November is a return that places him among the Bundesliga’s more efficient strikers. His double against Gladbach in the 3-2 defeat — a match in which he was one of the few Stuttgart players to perform at normal levels — demonstrated his ability to deliver even when the team around him falters .
The concern is the summer. Demirović was close to joining Galatasaray in late August, and only his decision to reject the Turkish club’s offer kept him at the MHPArena. “I have said often enough that I always score my goals,” he said after the Gladbach defeat. “I have shown that reliably over the past few years. Nevertheless, it was not good enough to win the game. That hurts” . At 28, he is in his prime. Stuttgart’s season depends on him staying there.
Deniz Undav
Undav is the captain, the record signing, and the most significant underperformance of Stuttgart’s season. The 30-year-old German international, who joined from Brighton for €26.7 million, has scored once in eleven competitive matches and is yet to find the net in the Bundesliga . His profile is that of the second striker: technically gifted, capable of dropping into midfield, and possessing the finishing instinct that made him one of the Bundesliga’s most productive forwards in previous seasons.
The numbers are stark. Zero Bundesliga goals in seven appearances. One goal in eleven matches across all competitions. For a player entrusted with the captaincy and carrying the weight of a record transfer fee, the return is inadequate .
The explanation is contested. Matthäus suggests the captaincy has become a burden, that Undav is “thinking too much” and has “lost the lightness” that defined his game. Hoeneß has defended his captain publicly, but the coach faces a decision: persist with Undav as captain and hope the goals return, or relieve him of the armband to restore his focus on scoring .
At 30, Undav should be in his prime. Stuttgart need him to be.
Dženan Pejčinović
Pejčinović is the record signing who has yet to justify his fee. The 21-year-old German youth international arrived from Wolfsburg for €25 million, making him the second-most expensive transfer in Stuttgart’s history . His profile is that of the modern centre-forward: tall, mobile, and capable of finishing with either foot. He scored twelve competitive goals for Wolfsburg last season, a return that persuaded Stuttgart to invest.
His integration has been difficult. Over two months without a goal, limited to substitute appearances and occasional starts, Pejčinović has yet to adapt to the demands of a Champions League club . At 21, he has time to develop, but Stuttgart’s investment demands a quicker return.
Jamie Leweling
Leweling is the wide forward who has provided the most consistent support to Demirović. The 25-year-old German, who has been at Stuttgart since 2023, has contributed goals and assists from the flanks, his most notable moment coming with the opening goal in the 1-1 Champions League draw against Atlético Madrid . His profile is that of the direct, hard-working wide forward: capable of beating his man, delivering crosses, and arriving in the box to score.
His numbers reflect a player who contributes without dominating. He is not a prolific scorer, but his energy and willingness to run in behind provide a different dimension to the more static Demirović and Undav.
Tiago Tomás and Leo Sauer
Tomás, the 24-year-old Portuguese forward, provides depth across the attacking line but has been used sparingly . Sauer, the 20-year-old Slovakian winger signed from Feyenoord, is a development project whose opportunities have been limited by the presence of more established options . Neither has yet made a significant impact on the season.
The Numbers Game
Table A: VfB Stuttgart Forward Bundesliga Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ermedin Demirović | 8 (6) | 535 | 5 | 0 | Leading scorer; 0.84 goals/90 |
| Deniz Undav | 8 (6) | 512 | 0 | 1 | Captain; no league goals |
| Jamie Leweling | — | — | 1 | — | Wide threat; Champions League goal |
| Dženan Pejčinović | — | — | 0 | 0 | Record signing; adapting |
Table B: VfB Stuttgart Forward Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
Table C: Forward Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ermedin Demirović | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Augsburg, Freiburg | Complete forward, physical, reliable finisher |
| Deniz Undav | Germany | Brighton, Union SG | Second striker, technical, confidence-dependent |
| Dženan Pejčinović | Germany | Wolfsburg | Tall, mobile centre-forward, developing |
| Jamie Leweling | Germany | Union Berlin | Direct wide forward, energy, work rate |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Stuttgart’s forward line is a study in dependency. The club entered the season with three proven strikers, a depth that Hoeneß described as “necessary for a Champions League season” . The reality has been a forward unit that relies almost entirely on Demirović for goals, with Undav and Pejčinović contributing almost nothing.
The numbers tell a story of imbalance. Demirović’s nine goal contributions across all competitions account for the vast majority of Stuttgart’s attacking output from the forward line. Undav’s single goal in eleven matches and Pejčinović’s goalless run have placed an unsustainable burden on the Bosnian .
The captaincy question is the most pressing tactical decision Hoeneß faces. Undav’s appointment was intended to recognise his importance and leadership, but the weight of the armband appears to have coincided with a loss of form. Matthäus’s suggestion that Undav is “too occupied with himself” may be speculative, but the correlation between the captaincy and the goal drought is difficult to ignore . Relieving Undav of the armband would be a significant statement, but it might also restore the freedom that made him a record signing.
The January window offers little prospect of reinforcement. Stuttgart’s resources have been committed to Pejčinović and the other summer arrivals, and the forward line, for all its underperformance, possesses the quality to deliver. The priority is to restore Undav’s confidence and integrate Pejčinović into a system that has so far relied on a single scorer.
The Verdict from the Camp
Lothar Matthäus, on Undav’s struggles:
“He has lost his lightness. He has lost his smile. Perhaps he is thinking too much. Maybe they did him no favour with the captaincy, because he is too occupied with himself” .
Ermedin Demirović, after his double against Gladbach:
“I have said often enough that I always score my goals. I have shown that reliably over the past few years. Nevertheless, it was not good enough to win the game. That hurts” .
Sebastian Hoeneß, on his striking options:
“We play almost exclusively English weeks until March. We often play with two strikers. It is understandable that you want at least three strikers. In this case with two established, older players and Dženan as a somewhat younger player. That is a squad composition that is necessary for a Champions League season” .
Where Next?
Stuttgart’s forward priority is clear: they need Undav to score. The captain’s drought has coincided with the team’s difficult start, and the correlation is not coincidental. If Undav can rediscover the form that made him a record signing, Stuttgart’s attack becomes genuinely multi-dimensional. If he cannot, the burden on Demirović will become unsustainable.
The development of Pejčinović is the secondary subplot. At 21, the record signing has time to adapt, but Stuttgart’s Champions League ambitions demand immediate returns. His integration into the starting line-up, whether alongside Demirović or as his replacement, will determine whether the €25 million investment delivers value in the second half of the season.
The captaincy decision is the most immediate question. Hoeneß must decide whether to persist with Undav as captain and hope the goals return, or to relieve him of the armband to restore his focus. It is a decision that will shape the dressing room as much as the attack.
For now, Stuttgart’s forwards are a unit defined by dependency. Demirović delivers, Undav struggles, and Pejčinović waits. The question is whether the supporting cast can rise before the season’s Champions League and Bundesliga ambitions slip away. The early-season evidence suggests that Stuttgart’s hopes rest on a Bosnian who nearly left and a captain who has lost his smile.
