Bayern host VfB Stuttgart with first chance to wrap up Bundesliga title

Bayern have their first opportunity to secure the 2025/26 Bundesliga title as they welcome VfB Stuttgart to the Allianz Arena on Sunday (kick-off at 17:30 CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our preview.

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Bayern host their old southern rivals in confident mood after securing progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday. Vincent Kompany’s men came from behind three times in the quarter-final second leg before beating Real Madrid on the night and on aggregate. A run of eight wins in the last nine Bundesliga games has now also got the Bavarians into a position to retain the title, after Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 at Hoffenheim on Saturday. With the gap at 12 points, it means a positive result against Stuttgart will open up an unassailable lead with four matches to spare.

Read up on the stats ahead of the game:

However, there’s no plans for a big party, given Bayern have their eyes on some other important challenges in the coming weeks. “The players have already said that they’ll turn their attentions straight to Leverkusen [DFB Cup semi-final] after the game, regardless of what happens,” Kompany explained at Saturday’s press conference. “We can all live with having to wait a bit longer to celebrate. We'll soon determine how often we celebrate and how big.”

Read more from Kompany in the build-up here:

Opponent: VfB Stuttgart

Stuttgart are having a very good season themselves, well in the running for Champions League qualification, for which they need every point in the closing weeks. Sebastian Hoeneß’s team occupy a top-four position, two points above Hoffenheim in fifth and four ahead of sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen. Last weekend they ran out comfortable 4-0 winners at home to Hamburg. “The goal is to create momentum. We need courage, conviction and also an ability to suffer. There will be situations that we need to take,” said Hoeneß, who expects his team to see less of the ball against Bayern than they are used to.

“If you look at how the recent encounters went, it was always very tight. They were never easy. We always had to fight and only made it count at the end,” Kompany added of fixtures against Stuttgart. “I'm expecting physicality in the game. Stuttgart aren’t just a good team but also physical. They can also be a threat from long balls. They have the second-best attack [in the Bundesliga].”

Get the lowdown on this Stuttgart team:

Team news

Bayern remain without the injured trio of Lennart Karl (hamstring), Sven Ulreich (recovering from an adductor issue) and Tom Bischof (minor calf strain), and now also Serge Gnabry (adductor).

Stuttgart come to Munich without the suspended Deniz Undav.

Try our matchday quiz ahead of the game to win prizes:

What the coaches say