In most cases, one thing helps in difficult phases: victories. After four defeats in a row, VfL Wolfsburg wants to get back on track against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. And thus also win back its fans.
It’s game one after the big disappointment against Lille (1:3), it’s a quick opportunity for VfL Wolfsburg to turn the frustration of their international elimination back into hope. The focus must be on the future, demands coach Florian Kohfeldt, who wants to “get back on track as quickly as possible” with a “positive game against Stuttgart” This will take more than what VfL has shown recently. Because not only Lille is part of the current disappointment, also before that the Lower Saxons already lost the games against Sevilla (0:2), Dortmund (1:3) and Mainz (0:3) with partly worrying performances.
Marcel Schäfer is not completely unfamiliar with such a situation; after all, as a former VfL professional, the sports director himself has experienced all the ups and downs of his club. Under his leadership, however, things have gone almost exclusively upwards, from the bottom of the table to the Champions League. However, the season so far has not been a good one, even though 8th place in the league still offers every chance of an upward trend.
However, the exit from the DFB Cup after Wolfsburg’s mistake caused alarm early on and led to the swift dismissal of coach Mark van Bommel after only nine league games. And in the Champions League, too, the goal of spending the winter in the international arena was ultimately miserably missed. The vulnerability of VfL this season is shown by the fact that the team under former coach Oliver Glasner only lost seven times in the pre-season, and after 14 Bundesliga games they have already lost six.
As a player, Schäfer was someone who took responsibility. He shook things up, was tough on himself, unpleasant even for his team-mates. Who is now called upon in the team, who will take the reins? “The whole team is called upon,” emphasises the sports director, who also sees the learning factor in this situation. “Such phases shape you, it is part of a development that you go through such phases.” The 37-year-old formulates a fighting message: “We will draw the right conclusions from this, we will show the reaction. We will stand up and do everything we can to reverse the trend against Stuttgart. That’s also the team’s duty. “
Missing enthusiasm around VfL
Support from the stands could help. However, the lack of enthusiasm around the VfL is once again a topic. Schäfer is disappointed by the lack of support, but initially emphasises: “Our focus is on how we can get back on the road to success in sporting terms, we have a lot of work to do there.”
However, the sporting director also has clear words for his own supporters. “To make it into the top 16 in Europe, the pitch has to be on fire. We didn’t manage that. But I also have to say quite clearly: You didn’t feel that around either. We would have been very happy if the number of possible tickets had been exhausted. It’s a great pity.” 13,281 spectators would have been possible, 6544 lost themselves in this so important game against Lille in the Volkswagen Arena.
Against VfB Stuttgart, against whom probably only 5000 fans are allowed, it seems complicated to be “sold out” even there. However, one thing is clear against the Swabians as well: Above all, it is the team that has to do the work in advance.
