For the first time in ages, VfB once again triumphs in a home game against FC Bayern. It’s just one of 21 season victories, but one with great radiance.
Yes, I know. Bayern were weakened and already had their minds set on Madrid anyway. Just like the other 16 Bundesliga teams always seemed to have a bad day against us, except when they snatched points from us. Odd. No, no, I won’t let anyone downplay this home victory against the old Südgipfel rival, with whom we are currently competing on an equal footing for the first time in over ten years. Especially since Sebastian Hoeneß’s team not only bravely recovered from the late shock in Leverkusen but also learned from the first leg. Back then, Bayern left the field to the Swabians and coldly countered them at home. In the Neckarstadion, however, VfB didn’t even engage in such games, pressed on Manuel Neuer’s goal, but didn’t let themselves be outmaneuvered in the last line.
And even if these weren’t the best Bayern team we could have faced: in the current form, our team can compete with any opponent in the league. Leverkusen needed a lot of bad luck from VfB and an overwhelmed referee to achieve a draw, and Bayern also benefited from the reluctance of the otherwise sovereign referee Welz to review and correct his own decision on the screen. However, VfB didn’t let that or the theatrics of their former youth player unsettle them and continued to play concentratedly forward even after the equalizer. There were certainly a few defensive heart-stopping moments included, but with some luck and a lot of composure, Harry Kane’s penalty remained the only goal of the guests on Saturday afternoon, so that we have now conceded one goal less than Bayern overall.
Unexpected Heroes
But let’s not talk about Bayern and their half-hearted attempts to claim this Südgipfel for themselves, let’s talk about VfB’s goals. It somehow fits this season that in this game, it wasn’t the 43-goal attacking division that took the spotlight, but other players. Leonidas Stergiou, for example, who has fought for his regular place on the right defensive side due to the absences of Josha Vagnoman, Dan-Axel Zagadou, and at times Anthony Rouault, and demonstrated his offensive qualities not for the first time, duping the Bayern defense in combination with Deniz Undav. Or Jeong Woo-yeong, who this season seemed to spend more time with the Korean national team and therefore mainly appeared as a substitute — and scored for the first time in a year and a half. And of course, Silas, who experienced a renaissance against Bayern, prepared the celebrated leading goal with a precise cross and brought the Cannstatter Kurve to explode with a well-placed shot. And did I already mention that VfB was missing two important players, Maxi Mittelstädt and Enzo Millot? No? That’s because the team was able to compensate for that too.
This game, this season, is brimming with wonderful stories like these. With 21 season victories, VfB has set another record and has not only qualified for the Champions League on the couch but also on the field. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß took this as an opportunity to fulfill his promise made in December against Augsburg and address the Kurve and the team from the podium, standing at the capo’s stage. When was the last time that happened? It’s probably been as long as a home victory against Bayern, 73 goals in 32 games, or the prospect of finishing second. Because even if this game was the provisional coronation of a phenomenal season, the team can still step up its game. With a victory in the Friday evening game against Augsburg, who are still eyeing Europe, third place would be sealed, and until Bayern play on Sunday afternoon, we could even be in second place. I can’t quite imagine the record champions giving in and dropping points against Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim. But now that the team has also booked their journey with a T‑shirt (see above), second place is a nice incentive for the last two matches.
Back at the Top
And even if it doesn’t work out, it will still be two holidays for VfB fans. The last two steps on an incredible journey back to the top of German football. Probably only temporarily, because even if Fabian Wohlgemuth and Sebastian Hoeneß manage the summer cleverly and succeed in conserving the success to some extent, such a season won’t come again soon. What remains is the memory of days like May 4, 2024, when everything fell into place for us once again.
Note: This is a translation of my German article Die Krönung by ChatGPT, slightly altered by me. Please let me know, what you think about the style and about using AI for articles in general in the comments section.
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