Two teams that love to attack will clash in the Champions League on Wednesday, as Stuttgart host Serie A high-flyers Atalanta BC.

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Making their return to the Champions League after watching from the sidelines since 2009, Stuttgart have already traded blows with two continental heavyweights - losing narrowly to Real Madrid and snatching a famous win against Juventus.

Last time out, Die Schwaben set off for Turin on the back of a four-match winless run, having lost 4-0 to Bayern Munich just days earlier, but they ultimately moved onto four points by following up a 1-1 home draw against Sparta Prague with an improbable victory.

Enzo Millot saw a late spot kick saved, but the French schemer soon redeemed himself by providing the assist for Atalanta loanee El Bilal Toure, who emerged from the bench to decide matter with a dramatic stoppage-time strike.

That was just Stuttgart's second success in their last 11 games against Serie A sides - and their first ever in Italy - so they will hope to repeat the feat on Wednesday.

VfB coach Sebastian Hoeness guided his team to second place in the Bundesliga last season, securing the club's highest finish since winning the title in 2007, but this term's domestic form has been a little more modest.

Their only win in five league matches came at the end of last month, against lowly Holstein Kiel, and Friday's 0-0 draw with defending champions Bayer Leverkusen left them occupying eighth place in the table.

Nonetheless, Die Roten were last defeated on home turf way back in October 2023 - their longest such run in 17 years.

Memorably, Atalanta's last encounter with German opposition was their historic 3-0 defeat of Leverkusen in Dublin last season, when they were crowned Europa League champions.

After claiming the club's first continental silverware, Gian Piero Gasperini's men stepped up a tier this term and have taken five points from their opening three fixtures - goalless draws at home to Arsenal and Celtic, coming either side of a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

One of five teams yet to concede in the Champions League, the Italian side were left ruing their inability to find away past Celtic late last month, and despite dominating the match it was a rare occasion that red-hot marksman Mateo Retegui failed to find the net.

On Sunday, though, the Italy striker stepped off the bench to apply the finishing touch to a superb 3-0 away win over Serie A leaders Napoli, following two first-half strikes from La Dea's Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman.

That made it five league wins on the spin for Atalanta - with no fewer than 18 goals scored and only two conceded - as they climbed up to third place in the standings.

The Bergamaschi boast the best attack in Italy this season, with an average of 2.64 goals per game, so they will now hope to replicate such free-scoring ways on the European scene.

However, they head to Stuttgart having won only two of their last 11 Champions League matches, leaving tactical maestro Gasperini with a point to prove.

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