Stuttgart's Undav poses biggest threat to Bayern amidst scoring run
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Soccer Football - DFB Cup - First Round - Eintracht Braunschweig v VfB Stuttgart - Eintracht-Stadion, Braunschweig, Germany - August 26, 2025 VfB Stuttgart's Deniz Undav shoots at goal REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
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BERLIN, Dec 4 - VfB Stuttgart forward Deniz Undav has lost count of how many goals he has scored in recent weeks but he will be hoping his run continues when Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich pay them a visit on Saturday.
The 29-year-old has scored nine times in all competitions this term, with most of the goals coming in the past few weeks after he recovered from a knee ligament injury on the second matchday of the season that kept him out for several weeks.
In November he scored six of Stuttgart's eight Bundesliga goals to confirm he was back to his best and a serious contender for Germany's World Cup squad next year.
"I don't know myself how many I have scored," Undav said after netting in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over VfL Bochum in the German Cup round of 16.
"I thought that it was eight goals. What I know is I have to keep going. There will be a phase where I may not be scoring so I must keep at it as long as possible."
Undav, who has not been called up for Germany duty in recent months, knows full well that his current form has thrust him back into the mix for next year's squad for the tournament that will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
"I have been saying it again and again that the road to March is very long," Undav said in reference to Germany's next international matches as they prepare for the finals.
Bayern are firmly in control of the title race, sitting in top spot on 34 points, eight ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig, but have shown they are vulnerable at the back.
They lost 3-1 at Arsenal in the Champions League last week before needing late goals to earn a 3-1 comeback win over strugglers St Pauli. It was the second consecutive Bundesliga game where they had to come from behind to win it.
Bayern were also troubled at Union Berlin before earning a nervous 3-2 victory in Wednesday's German Cup last-16 tie, with the Berliners pushing for an equaliser in the second half, and Undav hopes to take advantage of that weakness on Saturday.
Leipzig host seventh-placed Eintracht Frankfurt in Saturday's late game, while Borussia Dortmund, who are third on 25 points, entertain Hoffenheim in fifth on Sunday. REUTERS
