
Bayern München vs VfB Stuttgart Preview: The Bavarians Face a Leaky Start to Their Title Defence
Connor Maguire ·
Last updated 14 August 2026. Kick-off is Friday 28 August at 19:30 UK time.
Right, settle in. Because Friday night football in the Bundesliga is absolutely the way to start a weekend, and Bayern München hosting VfB Stuttgart at this stage of the new season has got some proper intrigue to it. This is not just a formality. There are things going on here that are worth talking about properly.
Bayern's Form: Where Has the Clean Sheet Gone?
Look, Bayern finished last season as the dominant force. Champions. 28 wins from 34, 122 goals scored, goal difference of plus 86. That is genuinely obscene. If you told me those numbers and I did not know the team, I would think you were making it up.
But here we are at the start of a new season and something has shifted. In their last five games across all competitions, Bayern have won two, drawn one, and lost one. Goals for: 11. Goals against: 10. That goals against number is the one that jumps out at me. Not a single clean sheet in those five games. Zero. None. A big fat nothing. Clean sheet percentage: 0%.
And at home specifically? One win, one draw from their last two home games. Goals scored: 5. Goals conceded: 4. BTTS has landed in 100% of those home matches. Every. Single. One.
Now, Bayern are Bayern. The quality is there. But this is a side that looks... unsettled. Their momentum slope is heading in the wrong direction. Negative 2 at home, negative 3 away. They are not broken. But they are not exactly humming either. You can tell me they will be fine all you want, and maybe you are right. But right now the signs suggest this is not last season's unstoppable machine.
Stuttgart: The Chaos Merchants
Here is what I love about Stuttgart going into this one. They are absolutely mental in front of goal. Both ways.
In their last five overall games, Stuttgart have drawn three, won one, and lost one. Goals for: 11. Goals against: 11. BTTS in 100% of those five matches. Over 2.5 goals in 80% of them. Their away form across five games? Wins 1, draws 3, losses 1. Goals for 14, goals against 13. Every single away game has seen both teams score. Every one.
Their longer ten-game picture overall shows 4 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses. And they have actually been decent at home, winning six of their last ten home games. But away from home is where Stuttgart tend to become... theatrical. Lots of goals, lots of chaos, not a lot of defensive solidity.
The injury situation is not helping Stuttgart either, it has to be said. They have got four players currently out, including two long-term absences and two moderate injuries. That is a real chunk of their squad missing for a trip to the Allianz Arena. Not ideal when you are trying to set up and stay organised away from home.
Head to Head: Only One Meeting to Go On
Look at the fixtures... well, actually there is only one fixture to look at here. These two have only met once in the data we have, back in December 2025. Bayern won 5-0. Five nil. Stuttgart did not score. That is about as emphatic as it gets.
Now, one game is not a pattern. You cannot read too much into it. But it tells you something about the gap in quality when these sides face each other in a meaningful context. Stuttgart know what happened last time. Bayern know what happened last time. That memory matters.
The Goals Market: This is Where I Am Living
Now I actually looked at the numbers for once, and before anyone says anything, yes I know, very out of character. There is this thing called xG that the clever lads love. I do not know how to say it without feeling like I am reading a maths textbook. But apparently the model reckons there is a 69% chance of over 2.5 goals and a 65% chance of both teams scoring. Fine. Even the robots agree with me on this one.
I'm Going Big on This
Don't @ me if Stuttgart nick a draw. Actually, do @ me. I enjoy it.
You heard it here first. Friday night, Allianz Arena, goals and scenes. Bayern to win, but not without a fight. Back to the drawing board if I'm wrong. And let's be honest, that is most weeks.
