Some won for the fourth time in a row, others lost for the fourth time in a row: When VfB Stuttgart won against VfL Wolfsburg, it was obvious that the teams are floating in different spheres, especially in the Bundesliga. Tiago Tomas (35th minute), Maximilian Mittelstädt (60th) and Angelo Stiller (80th) were the goal scorers in a 3-0 (1-0) win, which the Swabians earned from the first minute.
Stuttgart is therefore the only team alongside FC Bayern Munich that has won all games since matchday 4. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s team is increasingly reminiscent of the form of the 2023/24 runner-up season and is currently impressing not only with its playing strength, but also with enormous stability. “It’s just a beginning”said Hoeneß to the sports show. “We’re trying to keep the momentum going.”
Inka Blumensaat, sports show, October 18, 2025 7:43 p.m
Wolfsburg, on the other hand, had no chance and is now finally in a real crisis. “We were very bad”said coach Paul Simonis of the sports show. “We have to react quickly.”
Wolfsburg falls for the same corner twice
Kamil Grabara’s hands initially did everything they could to prevent the next defeat. Wolfsburg’s goalkeeper saved a brilliant long-range shot from Jeff Chabot in the fourth minute, and later reacted outstandingly to a header from Tomas (26′). After the subsequent corner, Chabot headed just centimeters past the Wolfsburg goal (27th).
Shortly afterwards, the Tomas chance turned out to be the one that was much more worth mentioning in retrospect. Because VfB had duped the opposing defense with a corner kick variant, which was crowned the second time around. Stiller played the ball briefly to Bilal El Khannouss, who let it clap, whereupon Stiller crossed from the half field straight to Tomas – the first time Grabara had blocked it, this time he had no chance, the well-deserved 1-0 (35th).
Mittelstädt rewards dominant VfB Stuttgart
Wolfsburg’s defensive behavior was a prime example of the condition the team is currently in. Coach Paul Simonis’ team had not learned from the mistakes of the first corner and fell behind after exactly the same execution. And that after an already weak performance, which more than deservedly put the tame “Wolves” on the way to their fourth defeat in a row.
And this path took further shape in the second half. Only Stuttgart continued to play, VfL was miles away from the quality of their opponents – and then also in the result. After a Stiller shot was blocked in front of the line, Mittelstädt made it 2-0 (55th). And given the way the game had gone so far and Wolfsburg’s misery, you needed a lot of imagination at that moment to believe in a turnaround.
For Wolfsburg it is now about staying in the league
The hosts did not convey this belief in their subsequent efforts. Wolfsburg started the season successfully with a 3-1 win at 1. FC Heidenheim, but things have been going downhill since then and the nosedive has been picking up speed in the last few weeks. The Heidenheim game was followed by two draws, then three defeats with only one goal scored – against Stuttgart there was now the fourth defeat. It got even worse because Stiller increased again after another fine attack from Stuttgart (80th).
Wolfsburg is moving more and more towards the relegation battle, and next Saturday there will be a duel against a direct competitor at Hamburger SV (3:30 p.m.). Stuttgart, which is now third, continues on Thursday in the Europa League in the Istanbul cauldron near Fenerbahce (6.45 p.m.), followed by the duel against Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga on Sunday (5.30 p.m.).