Pellegrino Matarazzo couldn’t think straight. The last-minute relegation demanded everything from the coach of the Bundesliga soccer club VfB Stuttgart.
“It was pure ecstasy, a great moment,” said the otherwise calm Matarazzo after the 2-1 (1-0) win over 1. FC Köln. At first he didn’t know that Wataru Endo had scored the goal in the second minute of added time. He just stormed off and then found himself under mascot Fritzle and his players.
After weeks full of negative experiences, fear of direct relegation and the threat of relegation, the Swabians still trembled to 15th place because of the better goal difference. In a season with a number of sick and injured top performers, Matarazzo was never criticized in public despite the lack of results.
Unusual for VfB, whose leadership had often reacted faster in the past. “But I think our path would have been fragile if we had been relegated,” said sporting director Sven Mislintat.
Hard to stop Mislintat after the final whistle
The calm that Mislintat exuded in critical phases did not disappear even shortly after the goal was achieved. Clearly in his statements, he recalled that Nicolás González and Gregor Kobel, two regulars, had left the club before the season.
“You don’t just put it down when you’re going into your second year as a promoted player after a good season,” said the 49-year-old, who was also almost unstoppable immediately after the final whistle.
In the sold-out Stuttgart Arena, Sasa Kalajdzic headed in 24 seconds after a missed penalty to take the lead. After Anthony Modeste equalized (60′), Endo was there. But victory alone would not have been enough. Borussia Dortmund’s support in the 2-1 win against Stuttgart’s rivals Hertha BSC was important.
Kalajdzic was the man chosen by Matarazzo weeks ago to shoot VfB to stay up. This wish came true. The Austrian international has scored five goals in the past ten games.
After Robert Lewandowksi expressed his desire to change, his performances are said to have attracted the attention of FC Bayern Munich.
Was the emotional lap of honor also a farewell to the VfB fans? “I think his emotionality also has something to do with the course of this game,” said sporting director Sven Mislintat. “I also looked very emotional and I’m not changing clubs.”
Top performers before departure?
The squad planner also put a stop to the rumors about his person. The CEO Alexander Wehrle said on Thursday that he wanted to discuss the season with Mislintat and Matarazzo and then assess how things are going.
“I think it makes sense to sit down and analyze issues. We are ready to correct mistakes,” said Mislintat. “It wasn’t said that it wouldn’t go any further. In my opinion, the headlines were bigger than what Alexander Wehrle said.”
The management staff will probably stay, but top performers are likely to leave during the summer break. In addition to Kalajdzic, Sosa and Orel Mangala are also traded at top clubs.
“If I could wish for something, we wouldn’t have to lose a player and be in the black. But that’s not realistic for a club like VfB at the moment.” After all, the direct relegation does not have to be drastically saved.