Undav's goal drought fuels pressure as Stuttgart chase early points
Deniz Undavs Flaute has become a talking point at VfB Stuttgart Ex-Nationalspieler, where the Ex-Nationalspieler faces a stark Warnung from coach Sebastian Hoeness as the striker still seeks his first Pflichtspieltreffer this season. After a promising start in the Champions League against Viking FK, the 30‑year‑old has gone four league games without a single Tor, raising Sorge among fans.
Past achievements set high expectations
Erst in the 2024/25 campaign, Mit 25 goals and 14 assists in 46 league games, Der German Nationalspieler proved his worth for VfB Stuttgart, Bei that season he ranked among the league’s top scorers. Der Spieler also displayed his Leistungen at the World Cup in North America, where he netted three goals and added an assist in just 149 minutes. Those figures cemented Undav’s reputation as a prolific Angreifer and raised expectations for the new Saison.
Now, after four Pflichtspielen the striker still lacks a Saisontor, and the Grund for Sorge grows each match. Auch his sprint output has fallen to an average of 6.9 per game, the lowest among Stuttgart players who have featured in more than half the League fixtures, and his intense‑run count sits at 51.9, only ahead of two teammates. With just one shot on target recorded so far, the contrast with his 121 attempts last season is stark. Undav kommt bislang nur schwer in Tritt, was die Suche nach dem ersten Pflichtspieltreffer weiter erschwert.
Coach Hoeness shields striker amid criticism
Coach Sebastian Hoeness issued a clear Warnung to the media, insisting that statistics do not define Undav’s value. “Wer versucht, Deniz über Statistiken zu erklären, der hat schon verloren,” he told, adding that Undav “versteht das Spiel unglaublich gut”. Auch he acknowledged that Undav has not yet reached his peak, but stressed that “Er hat vielleicht nicht an seinem Peak gespielt, hat aber jetzt auch nicht irgendwie verweigert oder jeden Ball verloren.”
Recent Aus problems with the Achilles tendon may explain why the Angreifer has not yet hit full fitness. Hoeness admitted that the fitness level “kann generell noch nicht bei 100 Prozent sein” and that it will improve over the course of the Saison. At present, Undav’s conditioning remains below the 13 kilometres per match benchmark set for Stuttgart’s forwards.
Undav’s first glimpse of his former form arrived in the Champions League, where VfB Stuttgart secured a 3‑1 victory over Viking FK. Although he did not register a Tor on Mittwoch, he provided two decisive Treffer for Ermedin Demirovic, including a perfectly timed pass that split the defence and a pinpoint ball through a narrow opening. Those assists highlighted why he remains a valuable Nationalspieler for Germany.
Ein 4‑0 cup triumph against third‑tier Hansa Rostock saw Undav add two assists, showing that his creative contribution endures even when the goal tally is absent. Yet in the two following Bundesliga Spiele he remained blank, reinforcing the perception of a Formdelle. The lack of a Pflichtspieltreffer continues to fuel debate among supporters.
The juxtaposition of Undav’s past exploits with his current drought underscores the Druck on the Angreifer as the Saison progresses. While his early Champions League showing proved he can still create, the ongoing Formdelle and missing Saisontor suggest that the club must decide whether to persist with him or seek alternatives. At VfB Stuttgart the debate will intensify with each Spiel.