Baden-Württemberg: Without a coach, but with Vagnoman: VfB starts in the Allgäu

VfB Stuttgart is getting fit for the new season.

Baden-Württemberg: Without a coach, but with Vagnoman: VfB starts in the Allgäu

VfB Stuttgart is getting fit for the new season. The head coach is absent at the start of the training camp. In the struggle for the desired player Vagnoman, the breakthrough comes - and against FC Zurich a win.

Weiler-Simmerberg (dpa/lsw) - The room for Pellegrino Matarazzo was initially free, but Josha Vagnoman has already moved into his. Without the head coach who tested positive for Corona at the beginning of last week, but with the hoped-for newcomer, VfB Stuttgart started its training camp in Weiler-Simmerberg.

After arriving at the team hotel, the Bundesliga soccer club made a detour to Friedrichshafen on Saturday, where they won a friendly against Swiss champions FC Zurich 3-2 (0-1). Next Saturday, the Swabians will play again in the Zeppelin Stadium - against the English first division team FC Brentford.

Until then, sweaty days await the players in the Allgäu. According to the club, Matarazzo may travel in a timely manner. Until then, his assistant coaches Michael Wimmer and Michael Kammermeyer are in charge - and aim to bring the team to a better level of fitness than last season.

For a long time, VfB sports director Sven Mislintat had to fight for full-back Vagnoman. The player had decided early on to switch, but the poker game with the second division club Hamburger SV was delayed for the fee. Both clubs then announced the agreement on Saturday. The Stuttgarters are now paying a basic amount of between 3.5 and four million euros to the Hanseatic League. Through various bonus payments, the sum can still increase to around 4.5 million.

"With his profile, he is one of the most interesting players in Germany in this age range," said Mislintat about the U21 international. For him, "it quickly became clear that I wanted to move here," says Vagnoman. The 21-year-old experienced the third win in VfB's third pre-season friendly as a spectator, as did striker Juan José Perea, who was signed on Friday.

After Wilfried Gnonto went behind (28 minutes), double goal scorer Naouirou Ahamada (58', 71') and winger Darko Churlinov (69') turned the game against Zurich in favor of VfB. Twelve minutes from time, Aiyegun Tosin scored again for the Swiss, who start the league next weekend. The Stuttgart team will play their first competitive game on July 29 in the first round of the DFB Cup at third division club Dynamo Dresden.