VfB Stuttgart started strongly on Tuesday and took the lead through Jamie Leweling in the first half, but Julián Álvarez equalised shortly after the break. Despite dominating long periods of the contest, Sebastian Hoeness’ side could not find a second goal.
Undav believes the missed chances have become a recurring problem, with the striker saying Stuttgart could have collected more points in both domestic and European competition with greater composure in front of goal.
“If we were as clinical as we were last year, me personally as well, then you have more points in the league, more points in the Champions League, and you win this game,” Undav told Prime Video.
“It’s a huge shortcoming at the moment, but that’s how football goes: at some point the can opener comes along and then everything starts working again.”
The Germany international felt Stuttgart had done enough against a side with considerable European pedigree. Rather than seeing the result as proof of a gap between the teams, he believed the performance showed that Stuttgart could compete with elite opposition.
“We could have won 2-1 or 3-1,” he said, reflecting on the chances created against Diego Simeone’s team.
Undav was nevertheless encouraged by the response from his teammates and their ability to remain competitive after Atletico Madrid drew level. He said the display offered something to build on, even if the final result left the home side disappointed.
“We stood firm, showed a reaction, and we can build on that. We showed that we can do it, even against the really strong opponents,” he said.
The draw kept Stuttgart unbeaten in the Champions League league phase and added another point to their campaign. However, the reaction from Undav made clear that the team’s immediate concern is turning promising performances into victories.
Stuttgart’s challenge now is to maintain the intensity they showed against Atlético while improving their decision-making in the decisive moments. Undav’s own admission that he must be more clinical underlined that the issue is not limited to one player or one match.