VfB Stuttgart missed its first win of the new Champions League season. Despite an early lead, in the end it was only enough for a draw against Sparta Prague.
Bitter evening for VfB Stuttgart on matchday 2 of the Champions League: The Swabians were the significantly better team in the home game against Sparta Prague, especially in the second half. In the end, the scoreboard only read 1:1 (1:1).
Enzo Millot gave VfB the lead after just seven minutes. The Frenchman headed in a cross from national player Maximilian Mittelstädt to make it 1-0. Sparta struck back in the first half through Kaan Kairinen. The Finn took a free kick from around 20 meters with his left over the Stuttgart wall and into the corner of the goal (32nd minute). VfB keeper Nübel flew in vain. A fantastic hit.
As a result, VfB bit their way back into the game. But Sparta repeatedly made dangerous needle pricks, including hitting the crossbar shortly before the break (39′). In the second period, Stuttgart repeatedly made the Czechs’ defense flounder. But the winning goal wouldn’t come.
After two matchdays, Sebastian Hoeneß’s team has one point in the table. The next game in the Champions League for the German runners-up is on October 22nd. Then it’s in Turin against Italy’s record champions Juventus.
“Back in Europe” was written on a large banner in the VfB fan curve. For the first time in 5,334 days, the famous premier class anthem was heard again in the Stuttgart Arena. The “brutal” anticipation that captain Atakan Karazor had expressed in the team could also be felt in the stands. And VfB got the dream start they had hoped for.
Enzo Millot, who had already been the outstanding man in the furious 5-1 win in the Bundesliga against Borussia Dortmund a week and a half earlier, headed a cross from Maximilian Mittelstädt over the line from close range to make it 1-0 early. However: The lead didn’t really fit the course of the game. Sparta was initially the better team. Offensively, the guests sometimes lacked precision and sometimes luck – as when Martin Vitík hit the post (13th).
The Swabians rarely brought the dynamic that characterizes the Stuttgart game and which guest coach Erik Friis had explicitly pointed out to the pitch in the first half. In the middle of the phase in which they at least seemed to have taken control, the equalizer fell. Kairinen put a wonderful free kick into the top right corner.
The game remained entertaining. VfB continued to have problems against the Czechs, who had already beaten RB Salzburg 3-0 at the start of the league phase – and were once again very lucky. Veljko Birmančević hit the crossbar with a header (39′).
It was also Birmančević who almost gave the guests the lead after the break. However, the attacker was denied by VfB keeper Alexander Nübel (55′) – this time in a phase in which Stuttgart were actually the dominant team.
In the middle of the second half, VfB continued to increase the number of hits. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß, among others, brought in Chris Führich for Ermedin Demirović and moved national striker Deniz Undav from hanging to sole striker. The hosts tried to score the second goal and pushed Sparta back deep into their own half with a high proportion of possession. But there was a lack of clear opportunities. The game ended like Stuttgart’s last Champions League home game against the glorious FC Barcelona in February 2010 – with a 1-1 draw.
