Despite a clear victory
National player is annoyed: “It’s simply a question of mentality”
12/12/2025 – 9:04 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Deniz Undav is dissatisfied with the way they played after VfB Stuttgart’s 4-1 win. A goal leads to discussions about the team’s attitude.
VfB Stuttgart strengthened its position for direct qualification for the round of 16 in the Europa League with a 4-1 win against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Despite the success, player Deniz Undav expressed dissatisfaction with the way the team played in the second half – especially because of the goal they conceded.
“I’m glad we won,” he said on RTL+, but added: “I’m not happy with the way we did it.” He was particularly bothered by the break in the game after Maximilian Mittelstädt made it 3-0. “We played erratically again, we no longer had the looseness, everyone wanted to do something,” complained Undav.
The goal in the 52nd minute by Roy Revivo led to additional dissatisfaction. “The goal made me really upset because these are things that we talk about beforehand. And they just can’t happen. It’s not a question of quality. It’s simply a question of mentality,” Undav continued.
Goalkeeper Alexander Nübel was also critical of VfB’s style of play and also referred to the previous 5-0 defeat against FC Bayern. “We had an opponent at the weekend who played right through to the end. We want that too. We didn’t. And so we always invite the opposing team,” said Nübel.
Despite the criticism, VfB Stuttgart is doing well in the Europa League. With twelve points, coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s team is in ninth place. Participation in the knockout round is almost certain with a five point lead over 25th place. Maximilian Mittelstädt emphasized the importance of the victory: “In the end it was important that we won the game in order to stay up there.” In the remaining games, VfB will face AS Roma and Young Boys Bern.