German Bundesliga
2026-09-04 - VfB Stuttgart vs Koln
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: Bundesliga
MHP Arena – Stuttgart
Friday, 04th September 2026 - kickoff 20:30 CET
VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart could hardly have picked a tougher way to start the new Bundesliga season. They were beaten 5-1 by Bayern in Munich, and the scoreline was a painful reminder of the problems Sebastian Hoeness's side can have against top opposition. It also means the Swabians are chasing their first league points of the campaign at home.
Interestingly, this is a third straight season in which VfB Stuttgart fails to pick up any points in the opening round. And the last time they started with back-to-back defeats was in 2018, when they also got relegated that season.
The good news is that this is a very different opponent than Bayern Munich. VfB Stuttgart have generally been the stronger side in this fixture and won the most recent meeting 3-1 in February.
They also have several attacking players capable of hurting Köln, although injuries are a concern: Chris Führich, Luca Jaquez, Nikolas Nartey and Dan-Axel Zagadou are among those currently listed as unavailable.
Köln
Köln opened their season with a 3-2 comeback win over TSG Hoffenheim. The headline belonged to new striker Thijs Dallinga, who scored twice in the second half to turn the game around. Linton Maina also contributed an assist, and the performance showed that Köln are not planning to sit back and hope for scraps this season.
There is plenty to like about that result, but an away trip to VfB Stuttgart is another level of test. Köln will also have to cope with a few defensive absences, with Timo Hübers and Sebastian Sebulonsen among those listed out.
Their attacking start is encouraging, though, and the fact they scored three against TSG Hoffenheim makes the visitors interesting in the goals markets.
The Betting Verdict
VfB Stuttgart are strong favorites here, and the market clearly expects the hosts to bounce back.
I agree with that, but VfB Stuttgart at a short price isn't especially appealing after the Bayern Munich defeat. The better angle could be combining goals.
Köln showed against Hoffenheim that they can score, while VfB Stuttgart should create far more chances at home than they managed in Munich.
Both teams have scored in each of the last three meetings, and Köln have scored in five of their last six visits to Stuttgart. That makes BTTS worth a look, particularly at the better prices.
I expect VfB Stuttgart to respond, but Köln have enough going forward to make this competitive.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
VfB Stuttgart 2-1 Köln
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take VfB Stuttgart to win & BTTS at odds of 2.50 at Bet365
