VfB Stuttgart cemented their Champions League qualification hopes with a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on matchday 33, as striker Deniz Undav netted a crucial goal to reach a career milestone. The 29-year-old German forward has now scored 19 goals this Bundesliga season, surpassing his entire tally from the 2023/24 campaign when Stuttgart finished runners-up in the German top flight.
Undav's clinical finishing proved decisive in the home clash, with his third goal securing the win for the Swabians. The striker expressed his satisfaction with the personal achievement while keeping focus firmly on collective ambitions. "I've set a new record now—19 goals—and I'm obviously delighted," Undav told broadcasters after the match. "It would be nice to reach 20 next week, but if we make it to the Champions League, I won't care about individual milestones." Stuttgart enter the final day in a three-way battle for fourth place with TSG Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, all level on points in the fight for the last Champions League spot.
Mbappé Inspiration and Celebration Moment
Beyond the goalscoring prowess, Undav grabbed attention with an unconventional celebration featuring an emphatic raised index finger directed at strike partner Ermedin Demirovic. The gesture drew immediate parallels to Kylian Mbappé's infamous "commander" memes, in which the Real Madrid forward is humorously depicted in military uniform as a figure of absolute authority in world football.
"I'm labelled a 'commander' just like Mbappé in all those memes," Undav explained with a knowing smile. The Stuttgart star revealed the celebration was a pre-planned agreement between teammates, hatched just two or three weeks prior. The moment captured the lighter side of a high-stakes encounter, even as Stuttgart's season teeters on the edge of qualification drama.
Final Day Shootout Awaits
With matchday 34 scheduled for Saturday, Stuttgart travel to face Eintracht Frankfurt knowing that victory is virtually essential. Hoffenheim visit Borussia Mönchengladbach with identical points, whilst Leverkusen, the defending champions, host Hamburger SV as they attempt a late surge from third place in the qualification race. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig have already secured the top three spots, leaving the fourth and final Champions League berth to be decided in a tense conclusion to the season.
Undav's pursuit of 20 goals remains secondary to Stuttgart's immediate objective, yet his form this season has been instrumental in keeping the Swabians in contention for European football's elite competition. The striker's hunger, combined with his trademark precision in the box, will be crucial if the club from Baden-Württemberg are to overturn their rivals and claim that coveted fourth position on the final day.
