The first domestic trophy of the 2025/26 German football season will be up for grabs when VfB Stuttgart take on Bayern Munich.
The curtain-raiser to the 2025/26 season arrives with silverware on the line, as DFB-Pokal champions VfB Stuttgart welcome title-holders Bayern Munich to the MHPArena for a tantalising Super Cup final showdown on Saturday evening.
With both clubs eager to lay down a marker ahead of the new campaign, the match offers more than just a trophy, it is a clash of ambition, firepower, and contrasting trajectories from last season.
Sebastian Hoeness’s Stuttgart side earned their place in the Super Cup after an emphatic run to the DFB-Pokal title, which they capped off with a commanding 4-2 victory over Arminia Bielefeld in May. Despite the final scoreline suggesting a competitive affair, Stuttgart had built a 4-0 lead by the 85th minute, demonstrating their attacking dominance before conceding two late goals, including an own goal, to soften the margin.
While they lifted silverware, Stuttgart’s Bundesliga campaign was less consistent, finishing ninth in the standings with 50 points, a sharp drop from their impressive runner-up finish just one season earlier. Nevertheless, there were signs of momentum late in the campaign, particularly in the final third, where they scored 12 goals across their final four league matches.
That attacking form has spilled over into the summer, with Stuttgart netting 15 goals in just four pre-season friendlies, further underlining their offensive confidence. However, Hoeness’s men remain vulnerable at home. Stuttgart lost seven of their last 10 competitive matches at the MHPArena in the 2024/25 season, a concerning record as they prepare to host the champions.
Bayern Munich arrive in Stuttgart as Bundesliga champions once again, having reclaimed their domestic dominance in convincing fashion under Vincent Kompany, who guided them to 82 points, 13 ahead of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bavarian giants were ruthless across the pitch: they scored 99 league goals, matching their second-highest tally since 1971/72, and also boasted the best defence in the division, conceding only 32 goals, their most efficient defensive record since the 2017/18 season.
While Bayern Munich stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against Bologna in their most recent pre-season outing, they were victorious in the seven competitive matches prior, and they’ve won 10 of their last 13 matches overall, including participation in the Club World Cup. Their away form was particularly formidable, going unbeaten in their final 11 road games of last season, collecting seven wins in that stretch.
History, too, leans heavily in their favour. Bayern have won four of their last five meetings with Stuttgart, and have only lost once in their previous 12 head-to-head clashes. With a well-balanced squad and Kompany’s system starting to take hold, Bayern enter the Super Cup not only as favourites but with the momentum of a team aiming to build a new dynasty. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart head into the German Super Cup without any major injury or suspension concerns, giving head coach Sebastian Hoeness the freedom to field a full-strength XI in a 4-4-2 formation. After a successful DFB-Pokal campaign and a productive pre-season in front of goal, the Swabians will be aiming to start the new season with silverware, even if the challenge comes against a Bayern side firing on all cylinders.
Defensively, Stuttgart are likely to turn to Luca Jaquez and Julian Chabot, both of whom featured prominently in pre-season at the heart of defence. Their partnership will be tested by Bayern Munich’s movement and pace in the final third. At full-back, Josha Vagnoman is expected to start on the right, while Maximilian Mittelstadt should take up the left-back role.
In midfield, Angelo Stiller will likely orchestrate the team’s buildup play, a role he excelled in during the latter half of last season. He is set to be partnered in central midfield by Atakan Karazor, whose defensive awareness and physical presence offer balance and protection in front of the backline.
Out wide, Jamie Leweling and Chris Fuhrich are expected to occupy the flanks. Both are energetic and direct in their approach and will be crucial in helping Stuttgart stretch the Bayern Munich defence and provide width in attacking transitions.
Up front, Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade are the most probable candidates to lead the line in a front two. Their movement, aerial ability, and link-up play will be vital as Stuttgart attempt to capitalise on moments of vulnerability in Bayern Munich’s high defensive line.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Bredlow; Vagnoman, Jaquez, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Leweling, Karazor, Stiller, Fuhrich; Undav, Woltemade
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich approach the Super Cup final with a strong squad, though they are missing one of their most influential attacking players. Jamal Musiala, who sustained a serious injury during the Club World Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain in July, remains sidelined and is expected to miss several months of action. His absence leaves a creative void in the attacking midfield zone, which manager Vincent Kompany will need to navigate carefully.
Elsewhere, Aleksandar Pavlovic is nursing an eye issue and is not expected to start, though he has not been formally ruled out of the matchday squad. In contrast, Joshua Kimmich is fully fit and remains a guaranteed presence in midfield, with Leon Goretzka likely to partner him in the double pivot. There are no suspensions affecting team selection ahead of the match.
Kompany is expected to deploy his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Manuel Neuer will start in goal, with Konrad Laimer likely to take up the right-back position. The centre-back pairing should feature new signing Jonathan Tah, who arrived after the expiration of his Bayer Leverkusen contract, alongside Dayot Upamecano. Josip Stanisic is expected to operate as the starting left-back.
In midfield, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka will form a balanced and experienced central duo, offering defensive cover and progression through the middle of the park. Ahead of them, Michael Olise will provide width and creativity on the right wing, while Luis Diaz, recently signed from Liverpool, is in line to make his competitive debut from the left. The attacking midfield role may be filled by Lennart Karl, with Musiala unavailable.
Leading the line will be club talisman Harry Kane, whose clinical finishing and positional awareness will be central to Bayern’s attacking strategy. With a potent mix of pace, technical quality, and experience across the forward line, Kompany’s men will look to take control of the match from the outset.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Karl, Diaz; Kane
Key Stats
- This is the third time Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart are meeting in the German Super Cup, with Bayern having won both previous encounters (1983 and 1997).
- Bayern Munich are the most successful team in German Super Cup history, having lifted the trophy 10 times and finishing runners-up on six occasions.
- Stuttgart have never won the German Super Cup in their historyand their two appearances (1983 and 1997) both ended in defeat to Bayern Munich.
- Bayern Munich have featured in 12 of the last 13 Super Cup finals, underlining their continued dominance in German football across decades.
- Bayern Munich have scored 3+ goals in their last three competitive matches against Stuttgart, with the most recent Bundesliga meeting ending 3-1 in favour of the Bavarian giants.
Player to Watch
Nick Woltemade
At just 23 years of age, Nick Woltemade has become a pivotal figure in Stuttgart’s attacking system. Towering at 6’4″, the German forward combines physicality with an impressive first touch, often dropping deep to link play and create space for his fellow attackers. His ability to press from the front and make intelligent runs behind the defensive line makes him a constant threat, especially in transition, where Stuttgart like to strike quickly.
Woltemade’s technical growth and composure in front of the goal were evident in the final weeks of last season, and his understanding with Deniz Undav is developing into a potent partnership. Bayern Munich will have to be wary of his aerial presence and his tendency to drift wide before cutting in, especially when matched up against centre-backs unfamiliar with his movement.
Interestingly, Woltemade’s performance on Saturday will be closely watched not just by Bayern’s defenders, but also by their executives. Bayern Munich have been monitoring the young striker for several months, but their latest offer fell short of Stuttgart’s valuation, leading to a split within the club hierarchy.
While Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have distanced themselves from the idea of signing him, and sporting director Max Eberl has started exploring alternatives like Christopher Nkunku, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen is reportedly still advocating for the move.
There is a growing sentiment at Bayern that “the deal is dead”, yet a standout performance in the Super Cup could change everything. If Woltemade delivers against the Bundesliga champions on this big stage, Bayern’s interest may very well reignite, perhaps setting up a late summer twist in the transfer window.
Prediction
VfB Stuttgart 1-2 Bayern Munich
While Stuttgart have the firepower to trouble anyone on their day, Bayern Munich’s overall quality, superior depth, and winning pedigree give them a clear edge heading into this final. Expect the hosts to show attacking intent, but the Bundesliga champions’ efficiency and experience in high-stakes games may prove too much.
