Pellegrino Matarazzo is a man of clear principles. Only when it comes to the question of who shoots Stuttgart’s free kicks, the coach is against every rule.
Again behind, again drama, again a sense of achievement. There were many memorable scenes in Stuttgart’s game in their 3-2 win over FC Augsburg. But one will be remembered a little longer: 79th minute, free kick in the Augsburg penalty area for the Swabians, who were trailing 1:2. Chris Führich, who had taken almost all free kicks and corners alongside Borna Sosa until then, wants to take it. But Omar Marmoush beat the blond, put the ball down and left his colleague clamouring and complaining. The anger is clearly visible on the face of the man who has been put off. But the look and the gestures towards the bench and Matarazzo don’t help him either. Marmoush takes off – and sends the ball over the wall into the top left corner. It’s 2:2, VfB are back in it and turn the game around shortly afterwards. The last Stuttgart player to achieve such a feat was Daniel Didavi. The 32-year-old scored directly on the last matchday of 2015/16 in a 1:3 loss in Wolfsburg. On Friday, he scored the VfB II in the Regionalliga to win the derby in Aalen (2:1).
The anger between Führich and Marmoush should be forgotten. For the coach, the latter doesn’t play a big role anyway. “There is no fixed order for the free-kick takers,” the 44-year-old tells us. “We have a few players who have the quality for it.” Disagreements on the pitch are not worth mentioning, he says. “The boys are mature enough. Whoever is convinced and wants to shoot, let him do so.” Only in the case that the head coach himself is not really convinced by the shooter would he take action. “If there is a clear difference in quality, I intervene.” Or if there is a real threat of sustained disagreement, “then I regulate it. “
On Saturday, he watched Marmoush assert himself, his wayward actions afterwards also seen as a sign of confidence. Fortunately, as all Stuttgart players must have thought afterwards. Führich’s free kicks and finishes had little or no aim on the day. In stoppage time, the hard-working midfielder missed a great chance to make it 4:2 when the 24-year-old took a free shot from close range and failed to beat the straddling Niklas Dorsch. Memories of Führich’s shot against the post from five metres in the 1:2 in Hoffenheim came back to life. A missed shot without consequences this time and accordingly no problem. “That was an extraordinary save by the Augsburg man,” said Matarazzo. “Maybe Chris could have shot into the short corner sooner. But when you have three points, everything is good. “