Bundesliga: Stuttgart and Leipzig in a Battle for Fourth

VfB Stuttgart vs RB Leipzig

Fourth plays fifth in the match of the weekend when the Bundesliga match between VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig kicks off at the MHP Arena on Sunday.

Things are heating up in the race for Champions League places. Bayern Munich are 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table, with Borussia Dortmund in pursuit, and four teams chasing within five points, from TSG Hoffenheim in third place and Bayer Leverkusen in sixth.

Sebastian Hoeness’ Stuttgart are locked on 47 points with Ole Werner’s RB Leipzig after drawing 2-2 away to Mainz last week, while Die Roten Bullen beat Augsburg by the odd goal in three.

And VfB were at home to FC Porto on Thursday night in the Europa League, falling to a 2-1 defeat, so the visitors have had more time to prepare for this game when they enter the cauldron at Stuttgart. I say that evens things up somewhat.

Let’s take a closer look at the two Europe-chasing clubs and make our call.

 

Talking Points

Undav demands attention

With 15 goals for the campaign, Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav is the second top scorer in the Bundesliga, bagging VfB’s second goal in Die Roten’s visit to FSV Mainz last week, a minute after fellow striker Ermedin Demirovic had levelled things up. Undav also opened the scoring in the 4-0 destruction of Wolfsburg at the beginning of the month.

He’s in the form of his life and is surely in Julian Nagelsmann’s thoughts when the Germany boss puts together his World Cup squad over the next few weeks. Since he arrived from Brighton in 2023, Undav has scored 42 goals in 78 matches, and he has three in six for his country.

Now 29, Undav is one of Europe’s top strikers, and the Red Bull defence will have their work cut out to keep him quiet in the Bundesliga 2026 highlights reel on Sunday. And with Demirovic alongside, he is part of a dynamic duo for Die Roten.

Another player to impress this season is right winger Jamie Leweling, a second VfB star who has forced his way into Nagelsmann’s thoughts with his electric performances. Leweling scored a brace against Wolfsburg, and he was also Stuttgart’s biggest threat when they lost to Porto on Thursday, while Undav got Die Roten’s goal, which keeps the Europa League Round of 16 tie alive.

 

Red Bull’s fighting spirit picks up points

After finishing seventh last season, Leipzig missed out on European competition for the first time since they reached the top-flight back in 2016. And much like AC Milan in Italy, Red Bull have an advantage over their top six rivals. They have struggled to make the most of that advantage but are still in great shape to land a Champions League place, with three wins and two draws from their last five league outings.

And in their two recent 2-1 wins, Die Roten Bullen have come from behind to win. Yan Diomande sparked a comeback against Augsburg, and the Ivorian winger scored the winner in the 2-1 win over Hamburg the previous week.

Captain David Raum is leading a team that won’t lie down, and they are getting a taste for victory at precisely the right time. And with the experienced Willi Orban at the heart of Red Bull’s defence, the visitors will relish a battle with Undav and co.

 

History

The Bulls have had the better of the head-to-heads since they first met in 2017, with 10 wins to VfB’s four, and there have been two draws. Leipzig won 3-1 when they met at the Red Bull Arena in November, but they have lost on their last three visits to Stuttgart.

Stuttgart have won two, lost two, and drawn two of their last six games in all competitions, while Red Bull have won three, lost one – a DFB-Pokal loss to Bayern – and drawn two of their last six.

 

Betting Tip

Both Stuttgart and Leipzig are looking over their shoulders at sixth-place Bayer Leverkusen, who are at home to Bayern Munich this weekend, while third-place Hoffenheim are at home to Wolfsburg, so it looks highly likely that these two clubs will finish the weekend fourth and fifth.  But which way around?

The Bundesliga 2026 betting odds are pointing to a tight match with the hosts at a SBOTOP price of 2.19, while their visitors at 2.65. And for a correct scoreline, a 1-1 draw is available at 7.45. I can’t split these two teams, so I say it will be “as you were” and a stalemate at the MHP Arena on Sunday.

   

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