Stuttgart host in-form Köln as Bundesliga history favours the home side
VfB Stuttgart welcome 1. FC Köln to the MHPArena for a Bundesliga fixture that pits two very different recent runs against one another. Stuttgart arrive off the back of a mixed sequence of results, having won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five, while Köln head into the match unbeaten in their last five, winning four and drawing one.
Contrasting form lines
The gap in recent results is stark. Köln's four wins from five outings put them clearly ahead of Stuttgart's two victories over the same span, and that form gap will be one of the storylines going into the weekend fixture. Stuttgart's alternating pattern of wins and losses suggests a side yet to find real consistency this season, whereas Köln's run has been built on steadier results.
History leans towards Stuttgart
Despite Köln's superior recent form, the head-to-head record between the two clubs tells a different story. Of the last five meetings, Stuttgart have won four, drawn one, and lost none. Their most recent encounter, in February 2026, ended in a 3-1 win for Stuttgart at the same venue, while the reverse fixture in September 2025 also went Stuttgart's way, 2-1 in Köln's favour on paper but a loss for the hosts on the day. Only the February 2024 meeting, a 1-1 draw, has denied Stuttgart victory in this fixture in recent seasons.
With Köln's current momentum meeting a Stuttgart side that has historically had the upper hand in this fixture, the match offers a genuine test of whether recent form or head-to-head pedigree will carry more weight on the day.