Baden-Württemberg: The principle of hope: Will VfB succeed in the "turnaround"?

Sports director Sven Mislintat and professional Pascal Stenzel stand protectively in front of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.

Baden-Württemberg: The principle of hope: Will VfB succeed in the "turnaround"?

Sports director Sven Mislintat and professional Pascal Stenzel stand protectively in front of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. However, VfB Stuttgart is in a negative spiral in the Bundesliga.

Wolfsburg (dpa / lsw) - Pellegrino Matarazzo actually didn't want to rule out another evening at the Cannstatter Wasen with the first win of the season behind him. However, the trainer should not feel like visiting the folk festival at all. With VfB Stuttgart, he continued to build on a negative record: the Swabians have never had a win after eight match days in the Bundesliga.

Before the upcoming home game against leaders 1. FC Union Berlin, the pressure is increasing. Pascal Stenzel knows the importance of the game on Sunday (7.30 p.m. / DAZN). "It's definitely not going to get any easier now. Union is one of the most disgusting tasks in the Bundesliga," said the 26-year-old full-back, who played for the sick Borna Sosa in the 2-3 (2-2) defeat at VfL Wolfsburg.

There, the VfB kickers, who had attended the folk festival in traditional costume together last Wednesday, received the next blow in the neck. Instead of saving at least one point over time, Stuttgart had to accept the third goal in added time.

But there is still no public doubt about Matarazzo. In the past, former VfB managers would have reacted earlier after five points from eight games. Sports director Sven Mislintat continued to protect the coach on Saturday evening, with whom Stuttgart managed to save the game in injury time on the last day of the previous season. "He's not part of the analysis," Mislintat said.

Matarazzo also received encouragement from Stenzel. "Our trainer has been with us for almost three years now. I am convinced that we will experience more successful times again," he said.

Serhou Guirassy (22nd) and Konstantinos Mavropanos (45th) scored for VfB. Wolfsburg celebrated the goals of Omar Marmoush (23rd), who had worn the jersey with the red chest ring last season, and Maximilian Arnold (38th). VfB keeper Florian Müller didn't look good when he conceded the second goal.

After the engagements of the two former world champions Sami Khedira and Philipp Lahm as external advisors to the CEO Alexander Wehrle and the return of Christian Gentner as head of the licensed players department, things have calmed down behind the scenes. But there is growing uncertainty on the pitch. "Everyone knows what we want to play. Everyone knows what is required. I now hold everyone accountable," said Stenzel.

He is likely to lose his place in the starting line-up as Sosa should be fit before the clash with the leaders from the capital. Enzo Millot, who had to stop training on Sunday, will not be out for a long time. He has suffered a cut, said a VfB spokesman.

Excuses in terms of personnel, there are no Swabians. Only Josha Vagnoman can't take part because of a bone edema and therefore Stenzel hopes for a liberation. "Games like that can also be the turnaround," he said.

It's about time. Otherwise not only the pressure on the players in 16th place in the table will continue to grow, but also the criticism of Matarazzo.