What’s behind the VfB miracle: Stuttgart from the brink to a Champions League dream

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Against Augsburg, almost an hour had passed on Wednesday when 50,000 VfB fans started singing a song. A catchy tune that probably best sums up the current mood: “After all that shit we’re heading out, Stuuuuuttgart international, ohohoh European Cup.”

All this nonsense relates to the last ten years. At that time, VfB used 17 (!) different coaches. The magazine “11 Freunde” wrote in the spring about a “chronically nervous traditional club”. At that time, the Swabians narrowly avoided their third relegation in seven years, only saving themselves in the barrage against HSV.

Lost the most important player in the summer

Now, after an incredible first half of the season, the Stuttgart team is coming from third place, playing exciting combination football, seven points ahead of fifth-placed BVB and dreaming of the Champions League. And this despite losing the most important player, Wataru Endo, the captain, to Liverpool in the summer. And with Konstantinos Mavropanos (West Ham) and Borna Sosa (Ajax), two more team pillars.

The surprising rise of the Swabians is inextricably linked to the man on the sidelines. Since Sebastian Hoeness (41) took over from Bruno Labbadia (57) in April, he has freed the team from the defensive corset of his predecessor. And it got into the heads of the completely restless players.

Almost every player has improved under Hoeness, feels self-confident and radiates lightness. The symbol is Angelo Stiller (22). He played under Hoeness at both Bayern II and Hoffenheim, but was only a substitute at TSG after his dismissal. In the summer he went back to his sponsor, who threw him in at the deep end from the start.

Quieter than symbol

Now Stiller is pulling the strings in the center of Stuttgart, bringing good footing and passion to the game. At the back, the new captain, Waldemar Anton, is the boss in the defensive center. Under Labbadia he often had to play on the right side. And in attack, VfB has a top duo with Guirassy and Undav who complement each other perfectly.

The question is: how long? Top scorer Guirassy (17 goals in 14 games) is considering a winter transfer and can leave the club for a fixed amount of 17.5 million. “At this point there is no reason for me to worry,” Hoeness said. Because Undav also has top chances (9 goals in 13 games). And because he has already proven in the summer that he can compensate for the departure of top players.

Source : Blick