VFB Stuttgart vs Union Berlin preview, team news, tickets, and ...

Stuttgart and Union Berlin will trade tackles at the MHP Arena for their first meeting of the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign.

As of the time of writing, Stuttgart have garnered 13 points from 10 games and they sit in 11th spot. Union Berlin have 16 points from the same number of games and they are 6th on the log.

Stuttgart, one of the most decorated teams in German football, has been struggling with consistency this term. They are in the UEFA Champions League after some massive exploits last term, but they have not been able to replicate such performances in most of their games in all competitions this season. The side, touted by many, to rival the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig, and co, is not far from the drop zone after ten matches into the season.

Hoeness Sebastian and his side lost out to Bayer Leverkusen in the German Super Cup before beating Munster 5-0 in their DFB Pokal game. The Bundesliga opener against Mainz finished 3-3. Die Roten led 2-0 through Enzo Millot and Jamie Leweling before Nadiem Amiri pulled one back for the visitors. Jonathan Bukardt then completed the comeback for Mainz before Fabian Rieder thought he had won it for Stuttgart in the dying moments of the game; only for Maxim Leitsch to score an equalizer deep into stoppage time. The first league win of the season came in the second match of the new campaign at Borussia Monchengladbach – 3-1 win.

In the UEFA Champions League opener against Real Madrid, they lost 3-1 before thumping Borussia Dortmund 5-1 in the Bundesliga in one of their biggest results of the season. Another stalemate on the road against Wolfsburg kept their unbeaten start to the season going. In the Champions League, Sparta Prague held them to a 1-1 draw at the MHP Arena. Upon return to the Bundesliga, their draw form continued as they were held to another 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim. Ermedin Demirovic scored a late equalizer to save his side from the jaws of defeat. Eventually, the first defeat of the season came against Bayern Munich. After a goalless first half, the Bavarians ran riot. Despite that setback, Stuttgart grabbed their first win in the Champions League with a shock 1-0 win over Juventus in Turin. That win was backed by another win in the Bundesliga against Kiel before a 2-1 win over Kaiserslautern in the DFB Pokal.

However, November has been a tough month for Stuttgart as they have failed to win any of their three matches. A goalless draw with defending champions Leverkusen before losses to Atalanta (UEFA Champions League) and Frankfurt just before the international break.

On the other hand, Union Berlin started their season in the DFB Pokal with a 1-0 win over Greifswald. In the Bundesliga, Die Eisernen drew with Mainz before beating St. Pauli 1-0 at home. In the next game, they forced RB Leipzig to a goalless draw before another home win over Hoffenheim. Tom Rothe and Woo-Yeong Jeong scored for Union Berlin in that impressive 2-1 home win. First loss of the season came away at Monchengladbach, but they recovered to win their next two league games against BVB Dortmund and Kiel before a 1-1 draw with Frankfurt.

The past three games for Union Berlin have not been good. They were dumped out of the DFB Pokal by Bielefield, Bayern then thumped them 3-0 before a goalless draw with Freiburg just before the international break. Following their exit in the cup competition, their sole focus is on the Bundesliga. 

Stuttgart are at home for this game, and with the quality that they have all around one would expect them to be better placed on the log. However, it has been a bit difficult since the injury to Deniz Undav. Just like Union Berlin, Stuttgart are winless in their past three games and they have lost back-to-back home games as of the time of writing. 

It is obvious that the two teams are not in the best of shapes, so it is quite difficult to predict a winner here. Meanwhile, in their past 13 meetings, Stuttgart have won 4 times, Union Berlin have won 3 times, and 6 ended in a draw. 

The epic match at MHP Arena in Stuttgart will kick off at 19:30 GMT on Friday, December 6th, 2024.

The 60,058-capacity stadium will host this league game between Die Roten and Die Eisernen. 

Getting Stuttgart v Union Berlin tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels. 

Stuttgart may have blown hot and cold this term but they still have strong players in their ranks to prosecute this fixture. Alex Nubel should keep his place in goal, while skipper Atakan Karazor will hope to dictate play from midfield, while Ermedin Demirovic and Enzo Millot can add the finishing touches in front of goal. Injured trio of Deniz Undav, Dan-Axel Zagadou, and Jamie Leweling could all miss this game.

Stuttgart XI: Alexander Nubel; Josha Vagnoman, Anthony Rouault, Julian Chabot, Maximiliam Mitttelstadt; Angelo Stiller, Atakan Karazor; Fabian Rieder, Enzo Millot, Chris Fuhrich; Ermedin Demirovic.

Apart from a number of absentees due to illness and minor injuries, Union Berlin do not have any major injury concerns as of the time of writing. The visitors will hope to prove their worth in this tight contest. Frederik Ronnow should remain in goal with the likes of Diogo Leite, Kevin Vogt, and Danilho Doekhi completing the backline. Talisman Woo-Yeong Jeong is expected to be given a role behind striker Benedict Hollerbach.

Union Berlin XI: Frederik Ronnow; Diogo Leite, Kevin Vogt, Danilho Doekhi; Robert Skov, Rani Khedira, Aljoscha Kemlein, Christopher Trimmel; Woo-Yeong Jeong, Yorbe Vertessen; Benedict Hollerbach.

Regardless of their current form and injury issues, Stuttgart are slight favourites to take all three points in this particular match. However, they come up against a side that is higher than them on the log and they need to bring their A game. By the way, getting Stuttgart tickets could be a bit tricky as the year is coming to an end. 

On the other hand, Union Berlin have been tidy in games this season and they might just show up with one of those performances once again. They are ranked higher on the log, but that would not just be enough for them to take all three points, so they need to show some desire and character.

We have seen more stalemates than wins for either side in the head-to-head, so a draw might just be another befitting scoreline. 

Stuttgart 2-2 Union Berlin