VfB indulges in impulsive bouts of intoxication.
VfB Stuttgart finally conquered a victory in the Champions League, a feat they hadn't achieved in 15 years. Their triumph against Juventus Turin was nothing short of thrilling, especially given Juventus' reputation. But the euphoria was short-lived, as the team was eager to ground themselves back in reality.
El Bilal Touré planted a kiss on the pitch in jubilation, while Sebastian Hoeneß went wild with celebration. Touré's late goal in the 1:0 (0:0) victory secured VfB's place in cloud nine. National player Jamie Leweling commended their "outstanding game" from start to finish, noting it as their first triumph in the Champions League in 15 years.
The Swabians had let go of their 0:4 defeat to FC Bayern just three days prior. "It feels incredible. We've worked hard for this. We were the superior team, even missed a penalty. It couldn't have been more dramatic, but the win was deserved," said Deniz Undav in an interview with DAZN.
"Let's move forward"
Undav hoped that they could "maintain this form and play like this against Kiel" in their upcoming league game. Leweling urged them to "enjoy the moment" but then get back to business. Defender Jeff Chabot echoed the same sentiment, stating that "there's nothing to celebrate" but looked forward to fun training sessions with their newfound focus.
Touré secured VfB's victory with a goal in injury time (90.+2). In the lead-up, they had missed several opportunities to secure an early win. Enzo Millot even missed a penalty (86.). Coach Sebastian Hoeneß acknowledged their missed opportunities, saying that "we could have made it easier for ourselves." However, he asserted that the win was "absolutely deserved."
"A memorable evening"
Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth called it "an evening we'll remember for a long time." He was impressed by their determination to react after the FC Bayern game.
Since December 9, 2009 (3:1 against Unirea Urziceni), it had been a long time since Stuttgart had tasted victory in the Champions League. The following weeks were filled with challenging matches, including games against Kiel, Kaiserslautern, Atalanta Bergamo, and Frankfurt.
VfB Stuttgart's triumph over Juventus Turin in the Champions League was a significant victory in soccer, as it had been 15 years since their last victory in the competition. After securing their victory, national player Jamie Leweling commended their outstanding performance in the game.
