In an incredibly focused game, VfB overcame a disallowed goal and a missed penalty, beating Juventus Turin in their stadium. An unforgettable evening!
Yes, the headline is meant exactly as it is and is intended to recall (in translation) the legendary TV commentary by Werner Hansch on October 1, 2003, when Kevin Kuranyi converted a pass from Imre Szabics and sealed a win for the history books against Manchester United. For me, the away victory in Juventus Stadium last Tuesday is on par with that home win back then. We don’t need to unnecessarily downplay ourselves, but wins against the giants of European football are certainly not a regular occurrence for us. And I won’t let anyone downplay it by pointing to a weak opponent: Juventus was unsuccessful also because VfB, just three days after the devastating thrashing in Munich, showed a completely different face and performed with extreme concentration and organization, especially in defense. Turin wasn’t even harmless: Similar to Real Madrid, they allowed VfB to control the ball and the game for long periods, only to break forward with lightning-quick transitions down the flanks toward Alexander Nübel’s goal. But Anthony Rouault and Jeff Chabot – and of course their teammates – were there to cleanly defend everything.
With a clean Dropkick
The path to this historic victory wasn’t paved with roses, of course. VfB had plenty of chances in the first half – by halftime, the shot count was 12 to 1 – but once again didn’t capitalize on a single one. The most promising were Demirovic, who hit the post, and Deniz Undav, who wanted to recreate his goal from Madrid but was denied by Turin goalkeeper Perin, who, like his counterpart in the Madrid game, was named man of the match. Nonetheless, VfB’s approach was much more mature than in Munich. The players with the red stripe pressed with control, without constantly being overrun, and won key midfield duels. The quality of a team like Juventus Turin also lies in defending solidly at the back and waiting for their chances up front, where you can expect someone like Dusan Vlahovic to make the most of them.
Things got really wild after the break when Deniz Undav had a screamer disallowed, sending the away fans from ecstasy to rage. At least from the impression in the stadium, the referee seemed to officiate very randomly in this match, with a loose approach and then reacting to appeals. Technically, the VAR intervention may have been justified in the end, but it was still a shame about the beautiful goal. Yet the team didn’t lose composure, even after missing another penalty, which couldn’t be converted on the rebound either, and didn’t resort to time-wasting in the final stages. At that point, a three-point victory didn’t seem likely, especially as Sebastian Hoeneß had already substituted his strikers Deniz Undav and the yellow-card-risked Ermedin Demirovic. But there was still Atalanta loanee El Bilal, and of course, Enzo Millot. Millot had already set up a goal for the striker in the 5–1 win against Dortmund, but that was more due to Millot’s dribbling skills on the byline. This time, El Bilal won the ball in the box. VfB regained it after a Turin header clearance, and Millot and El Bilal played a one-two through the Juventus defense before the striker elegantly took the ball and finished with a clean dropkick into the goal.
A Dream in White and Red
This time, the away section was truly in ecstasy, just like at the seemingly endlessly delayed final whistle. These are the moments football fans hope for, and for which we endure the tough times. The drama is naturally more comparable to Endo’s goal against Cologne in 2022, especially with the tension between the winning goal and the final whistle. But it’s a different story when you “only” prevent relegation compared to securing an unexpected underdog victory in the most important European cup competition against an opponent that usually operates in a very different stratosphere than your own club. Even two days later, back at my desk at home, I still can’t quite believe the luck we VfB fans were blessed with on Tuesday night, or the historic milestone we witnessed in the club’s glorious history. Simply an absolute dream in white and red and the crowning achievement of an otherwise beautiful short trip to northern Italy.
And beyond the emotional significance, it was also an important response to the game in Munich. The sporting significance was immediately put into perspective by those in charge, who declared the home game against Kiel as the most important match of the week. This is clever, of course, as it helps to channel the euphoria into energy, but it’s also right, because now the team has to show, against a less glamorous opponent, that unlike the previous week, they’re ready and able to push themselves to their limits. But naturally, the 1–0 win in Turin (!!!) was not without sporting significance: With four points and matches still to come against three winless teams so far in the group stage, the chances of two more games in the knockout round next year are increasing. And with that comes not only significant additional revenue, but also the opportunity to write more history in Europe.
Picture: © Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images