- In the Supercup contest, underdog VfB Stuttgart is aiming to outdo reigning champions Leverkusen.
For VfB Stuttgart, the new football campaign starts saturday night (8:30 PM/Sat.1 and Sky) with the Supercup confrontation against double champions Bayer Leverkusen led by coach Xabi Alonso. Traditionally, the league victor and DFB-Pokal winner square off in the Supercup. However, seeing as Leverkusen, under Alonso's guidance, clinched both titles last season, Stuttgart, as last season's runners-up, grab their shot.
The two sides faced off three times last year, with each encounter delivering thrilling football. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß's Stuttgart crew fell 2:3 in the DFB-Pokal quarters, while the league matches ended in 2:2 and 1:1 draws. In their first contest since bidding farewell to key players Serhou Guirassy, Waldemar Anton, and Hiroki Ito, Stuttgart seek victory and the Supercup trophy.
A week subsequent to the Supercup matchup, Stuttgart's Bundesliga journey commences against SC Freiburg. The DFB-Pokal encounter against Preußen Münster has been rescheduled to August 27, rather than this coming weekend.
Stuttgart's disappointing exit in the DFB-Pokals quarters against Leverkusen last year serves as their motivation to claim the Supercup this time around. Despite having faced Leverkusen three times last season, including a thrilling quarter-final match that ended in a 2:3 loss, Stuttgart is eager to avenge their loss and lift the DFB Cup trophy.
