PLAYER RATINGS | VfB Stuttgart 3-1 Bayern Munich | OneFootball

Both VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich have secured qualification for the Champions League next season, so the game was basically meaningless but Stuttgart once again put on a show and ran out 3-1 winners against Bayern.

Stuttgart were the better team for most of the first half and showed why they have been so impressive this season. Sehrou Guirassy had a great chance which was cleared of the line by Eric Dier, but VfB were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 29th minute when Deniz Undav played a loft ball through to Leonidas Stergiou for the Swiss to score his first goal for Stuttgart.

However, Bayern would then get a questionable penalty in the 37th minute when Waldemar Anton’s hand hit Serge Gnabry, causing the winger to collapse. Kane would convert the resultant penalty to send the teams in level at the break.

VfB continued their performance in the second half, but Bayern would have the better chances until the 81st minute when substitute Silas crossed the ball in for former Bayern player Woo-Yeong Jeong to head the ball in. Bayern would then push to try and win the game, but that allowed Stuttgart one final counter where a Guirassy tackle set up Silas for the third and final goal for Stuttgart.

The win caps off a great week for Stuttgart as they returned to the Champions League for the first time in 14 years. This performance was a statement one for Stuttgart, as if they are able to not only keep key players in the summer but improve on their squad they should be once again in and around the top four as behind Bayer Leverkusen they have been the best footballing team in Germany this season.

For Bayern their attention now turns to their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday in Madrid against Real.

VfB Stuttgart XI:

Alexander Nübel (6), Leonidas Stergiou (7), Waldemar Anton (6), Anthony Rouault (6), Hiroki Ito (6), Jamie Leweling (7), Atakan Karazor (6), Angelo Stiller (7), Chris Führich (6), Deniz Undav (7), Sehrou Guirassy (6)

Others: Mahmoud Dahoud (5), Woo-Yeong Jeong (6), Silas (7), Luca Raimund (-)

Bayern Munich XI:

Manuel Neuer (5), Joshua Kimmich (5), Kim Min-Jae (5), Eric Dier (6), Alphonso Davies (5), Aleksander Pavlovic (5), Raphael Guerreiro (-), Mathys Tel (5), Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting (5), Serge Gnabry (5), Harry Kane (6)

Others: Leon Goretzka (5), Dayot Upamecano (5), Noussair Mazraui (5), Bryan Zaragoza (5), Leroy Sané (5)

GGFN | Jack Meenan