The China Mail - Ascendant Stuttgart and Hoeness out to shake up PSG

While the French champions are strongly favoured, since Sebastian Hoeness was made coach in April 2023, Stuttgart have made a habit of proving the doubters wrong.

Having somehow kept the club from the drop in his first season, Hoeness took Stuttgart to second place in 2023-24 -- 40 points better than the previous season and ahead of Bayern Munich.

This year, Stuttgart stumbled out of the gate as their surprise success led to a summer exodus of their best players, including striker Serhou Guirassy, captain Waldemar Anton and fellow centre-back Hiroki Ito.

Hoeness, the nephew of Bayern Munich powerbroker Uli, however steadied the ship, with Stuttgart back up to fourth in the Bundesliga.

Barring a remarkable eight-goal win for Dinamo Zagreb at AC Milan, Stuttgart just need a point against PSG to qualify for the knockouts for the first time since 2009-10 and continue their stunning rise under Hoeness.

- 'A huge club' -

Despite two relegations in the past decade, Stuttgart remain one of German football's biggest clubs, with five league titles, the most recent of which came in 2006-07.

Hoeness took over with Stuttgart dead last in the table and in danger of joining Hamburg and Schalke as fellow fallen giants of German football.

The 42-year-old has revitalised the club, returning them to where many feel they rightfully belong.

The highlight of Stuttgart's return to the Champions League was a 1-0 win at Juventus in October, where Hoeness' side dominated the Italian giants in their first loss of the season.

Germany striker Deniz Undav rejected Premier League riches to make his loan from Brighton permanent in the summer, clearly passionate about where the club is headed.

Undav praised PSG on Saturday, but said Stuttgart would not wilt in front of the French champions.

PSG are a "brutal club" with "brutal players" Undav said, before adding: "But Stuttgart are a huge club and we want to show that on Wednesday."

The 28-year-old said Stuttgart would not be leaving anything to chance on Wednesday by playing out for a draw.

"That doesn't matter," Undav said of Stuttgart needing just a point to qualify. "We have to win against Paris, then we'll be on the safe side."

- 'Shake ourselves up' -

Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth said the "pressure would be on" the French champions in the competition they value most.

"It's a special game. It has the feel of a final. It's something very special which doesn't happen to us a lot."

Domestically, Paris are unbeaten and on track for another Ligue 1 title, but failing to make the top 24 would be unthinkable.

German media have reported of a 'non-aggression pact' between the clubs, who could agree to play out a draw in order to both qualify, but Wohlgemuth said there was "nothing to" the rumours.

Hoeness has already promised his side would bring the fight.

Saturday's toothless 2-0 loss at Mainz was Stuttgart's first defeat of 2025.

"We'll have to shake ourselves up now," Hoeness told reporters. "And in the coming days we'll convert the anger into energy for the next game.

"And that game is on Wednesday against Paris."

D.Peng--ThChM