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VfB Stuttgart’s frontmen Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade have rediscovered their form at the right time ahead of their all-important cup final. With nine points and eight goals in their last three Bundesliga outings, the Swabians will be heading to Berlin with renewed confidence.

A dress rehearsal in Leipzig

With a 3-2 away win on Matchday 34, Stuttgart laid Leipzig’s hopes of European football next season to rest.

For the Swabians, who went into the game already no longer able to qualify for European competition via their league standing, this was an important morale boost.

It meant that the hard-fought 1-0 victory at St. Pauli on Matchday 32 had been followed by two attacking masterclasses – a 4-0 thrashing of Augsburg and a come-from-behind win over The red bulls – proving to themselves and their fans that they can get the job done by any means necessary.

After their mixed second half of the season, Stuttgart’s three consecutive victories on the home straight, whilst not affecting the Bundesliga table in any meaningful way, were all the more important for their spirits.

Undav ends goal drought

“That was important. Our style of play in recent weeks has been positive. We have to carry on like that. If we continue like this and keep a clear head, I’m optimistic about the final,” said match-winner Undav, looking ahead to Berlin.

The DFB Cup final against Arminia Bielefeld awaits on Saturday. For Stuttgart, it is an opportunity for their first trophy since the 2006/07 Championship (discounting the 2016/17 Bundesliga 2 title).

After Woltemade rediscovered his goalscoring form on Matchdays 32 and 33, his attacking colleague made a magnificent impression in the season finale.

Undav took control of the game in Leipzig after his team fell behind early on, and he created the most goalscoring opportunities (five) of all his teammates. This proactive approach from the German international didn’t go unrewarded either; after a fine cross from Maximilian Mittelstädt (who also later assisted Woltemade for Stuttgart’s second), Undav headed in to make it 1-1.

The relief was palpable for the attacking star, who had been struggling in the second half of the season, with only two goals prior. His confidence had visibly returned, however, as was further demonstrated when he later teed up Ermedin Demirović, who needed only to stroke home to secure all three points with his 15th goal of the campaign (making him Stuttgart’s outright top goalscorer in 2024/25).

“It was a great game today. We have to keep going like this,” summarised Undav.

Undav ended his goal drought against Leipzig whilst Woltemade made it three goals in his last three games. – Imago/Michael Taeger

“We’ll take the goals from our strikers with us”

With all three Stuttgart strikers scoring, the attacking department seems to be back on track just in time for the final in Berlin. “We’ll take the three goals from our strikers with us,” said Mittelstädt, who himself grabbed two assists.

For Stuttgart, Saturday is not only about their first piece of silverware in quite some time, but also about the possibility of becoming the seventh team in the Bundesliga to qualify for European football next season. A win against Arminia, who travel to Berlin on Saturday with their third division title all wrapped up, will see Stuttgart qualify for the Europa League.