Undav coy on Germany call-up: “Whether I've already been contacted or not - I won’t say.”

Deniz Undav was once again the central figure as Stuttgart secured an important Bundesliga victory over Leipzig, with the in-form striker scoring the decisive goal and delivering a confident performance against one of the league’s strongest sides.

For Undav, the win carried particular significance given the quality of the opposition: “The win was very important for us,” he said after the match. “Leipzig are a great team, really good, but today we were a tick better.”

Stuttgart’s collective effort was key to that edge, according to the striker, who praised his teammates for their organisation and intensity throughout the match: “Everyone was where they needed to be. The goal helped, and the atmosphere helped as well.”

Undav also relished the personal duels that came with facing Leipzig’s experienced defensive line: “I really enjoy duels with defenders like Willi Orbán. And their goalkeeper also made several world-class saves.”

The decisive moment came after Stuttgart’s aggressive pressing forced Leipzig into a costly mistake near their own penalty area. Undav explained how quickly the situation developed: “Chris [Führich] recognised the Leipzig mistake brilliantly, saw me and passed the ball. In that moment I immediately had a good feeling about the goal.”

The striker emphasised that such moments were no coincidence but rather the result of Stuttgart’s tactical approach: “We forced scenes like that several times with our pressing. This time it worked perfectly.”

Once the ball reached him, Undav relied on the instincts he has developed throughout his career. “I’ve been a striker my whole life. I’m often in situations like today,” he said. “I can feel that goalkeepers often speculate - and today was no different.”

Undav’s strong form has also sparked increasing discussion about a call-up to the German national team, with the next squad announcement approaching. When asked about contact with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, the striker gave a playful but cautious response.

“Julian Nagelsmann is saved in my phone as Julian Nagelsmann,” Undav said with a smile. “Whether we’ve already been in contact or not - I won’t say.” He added: “The Germany squad will be announced on Thursday, then we’ll see.”

For now, Undav’s focus remains firmly on Stuttgart - and judging by his current form, defenders across the Bundesliga will continue to face the same difficult challenge as the Leipzig defenders did tonight.