Stuttgart Thrash Freiburg 4-0 to Storm into Bundesliga's Top Four

VfB Stuttgart climbed into the Bundesliga's top four with a resounding 4-0 victory over SC Freiburg, thanks to goals from Anthony Rouault, Ermedin Demirovic, Nick Woltemade, and Deniz Undav.

VfB Stuttgart stormed into the Bundesliga's top four with a resounding 4-0 victory over SC Freiburg. The win marked Stuttgart's third triumph in their last four Baden-Wurttemberg derbies, a significant improvement after losing the previous meetings. Stuttgart's dominance was evident from the start, with Nick Woltemade's venomous strike forcing visiting goalkeeper Florian Muller into action early on.

Stuttgart's pressure paid off when Anthony Rouault headed home from a corner, giving the hosts a deserved lead. Freiburg threatened to equalize moments later, but Maximilian Rosenfelder's header was correctly ruled out for offside, preserving Stuttgart's advantage. The hosts doubled their lead in the 17th minute, as Ermedin Demirovic scored against his former club for the second time this season, expertly glancing Angelo Stiller's cross into the net.

Freiburg's woes deepened when Matthias Ginter was forced off injured, but they received a temporary reprieve when Jamie Leweling's cross was headed in by Ermedin Demirovic, only for the goal to be disallowed due to a marginal offside in the build-up. Undeterred, Stuttgart continued to press, with Philipp Lienhart thwarting Demirovic's efforts, while Atakan Karazor's flick was saved by Florian Muller.

Stuttgart's dominance was rewarded with a third goal before halftime, as Leweling won a penalty from Maximilian Rosenfelder, and Nick Woltemade sent Muller the wrong way to convert from the spot. This gave Stuttgart a commanding 3-0 lead at the break, leaving Freiburg with a mountain to climb in the second half.

The second half saw Freiburg struggle to create meaningful chances, with Merlin Rohl's shot fizzing past the post providing a rare scare for Stuttgart. As the game wore on, Freiburg manager Sebastian Hoeness made substitutions, possibly with an eye on their upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava. Despite their efforts, Freiburg were unable to breach the Stuttgart defense, with Ritsu Doan's venomous attempt being blocked by Alexander Nubel.

⏹️ HEIMSIEG! Der #VfB Stuttgart gewinnt das Baden-Württemberg-Duell gegen den SC Freiburg mit 4:0. Bereits in der ersten Halbzeit stellte die Mannschaft die Weichen auf Sieg und führte schon mit 3:0. Im zweiten Durchgang erhöhte Deniz Undav (80.) noch auf 4:0. WAS. FÜR. EINE.… pic.twitter.com/4ttOt5cgkh

— VfB Stuttgart (@VfB) January 18, 2025

Stuttgart added a fourth goal to put the game beyond doubt, as Deniz Undav fired past Muller with the help of a slight deflection off Jordy Makengo. This goal added gloss to the scoreline, as Stuttgart recorded their fourth consecutive win to leapfrog RB Leipzig and occupy a Champions League spot. In contrast, Freiburg suffered their second consecutive Bundesliga defeat, conceding eight goals in the process, their first back-to-back losses since February.