“We had to change”
VfB Stuttgart does not want to be defeated even after the next severe setback in the Bundesliga relegation battle. After the Swabians had already lost a three-pointer against VfL Bochum in added time, VfB also had to accept two late goals from Christoph Baumgartner (85/90 minutes) at TSG Hoffenheim (1-2) last Friday. “My approach is never to call it luck. It’s always about investing more,” said coach Pellegrino Matarazzo in a media panel at which Transfermarkt.us attended. “All we need is a win to get going.”
Stuttgart have been without a win for nine games, and only SpVgg Greuther Fürth is worse in the table. The next step in the second division after 2016 and 2019 is imminent. “I’ll be honest, it’s about building trust again,” said Matarazzo when asked what has to happen to prevent this relegation. The VfB coach sees the reasons for the difficult season in numerous injuries, corona outbreaks and also in departures.
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“It was a bumpy first half of the season,” Matarazzo looked back. The shoe pinched, especially in the attack. Nicolás González (23) moved to AC Fiorentina last summer, with Sasa Kalajdzic (24) and Silas Katompa Mvumpa (23) the top scorers of the previous season were out for a long time. For the latter, the season is already over after a shoulder injury. “We lost two of our top scorers. I don’t want to make too many excuses because we have other players who were of course in the squad. But it was just a constant destabilization of the squad with a lot of players falling out of the squad,” said Matarazzo.
Matarazzo “100 percent convinced”: VfB Stuttgart stays in the Bundesliga
With Tiago Tomás (19), a new striker was signed by Sporting Lisbon in the winter. Another youngster for VfB who, under sporting director Sven Mislintat, has advanced to become by far the youngest team in the Bundesliga with an average age of 22.6. “We will always try to sign young players, develop them and let them have a career so that the club grows,” said Matarazzo. Tomás is “a great boy with many skills. He reads the game well, looking for depth in attack. It’s not just about his timing, it’s about his ability to play football. Tomás can play both up front and on the right flank and has not only excelled with his two goals, but also in training. He’s an additional option for our attacking game.”
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Due to the absences so far this season, Matarazzo often had to adjust his tactics, which made it difficult for his team to come together properly. “We had to change to win games,” Matarazzo said. “And the more pressure you have, the more you have to behave like a psychologist and not like a football coach.”
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Matarazzo has to endure the greatest pressure himself, but those responsible at VfB Stuttgart have always stood behind him and his work. “I’m 100 percent convinced that the boys can stay in the league and that we’ll get enough points in the last ten games,” Matarazzo said. “If I’m not convinced that we’ll stay in the league, then I wouldn’t be the right person.”
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