VfB Stuttgart has announced its squad for the Europa League. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß had to make some tough decisions.
Last season, it hit someone who went on to become the shooting star of the year: Nick Woltemade was not nominated by Hoeneß for the Stuttgart squad for the Champions League. Although the player, who came on a free transfer from Werder Bremen, played down the matter, the stab in the heart bled until the very end. “Then I’ll play in the Champions League next year,” Woltemade said at the time with a bittersweet expression. It worked out. Next season, he’ll be playing for Newcastle United.
Al-Dakhil, Stenzel, and Stergiou are three established players who have been hit hard
Justin Diehl was also forced to watch the Champions League games on TV or from the stands. It was a blow to the gut for the U-21 national team player, who has now been hit again. This is also because he has been struggling with injuries for weeks. Sitting next to him last year was Ramon Hendriks, who will be there this time when Stuttgart face Vigo, Basel, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Deventer, Tel Aviv, Rome, and Bern in the group stage.
Instead, other established players who were still there in 2024/25 were cut: Ameen Al-Dakhil and Leonidas Stergiou, who have also been struggling with injuries for weeks, as well as club stalwart Pascal Stenzel. Furthermore, Yannik Keitel and Silas, who were advised to move during the transfer window, as well as U-17 World and European champion Noah Darvich, who has just arrived from FC Barcelona’s second team, had to bite the bullet.
This time, Groiß and Nothnagel benefit from VfB II
“Like last year, it was a very difficult undertaking,” says Hoeneß, citing two reasons. “Firstly, we have a very large squad and secondly, there are regulations that apply to this list and that made it difficult again.” By this, the 43-year-old is referring primarily to the “local player rule,” which stipulates a minimum number of talents and/or young professionals trained in the club and/or association.
This benefits Dominik Nothnagel and Alexander Groiß from the Swabians’ third division team. Thomas Kastanaras, who was already on the list last year but never played, also reappears. And currently, after a serious knee injury, he has no prospects anyway. This highlights a certain absurdity in the regulations.
“I had to tell a few guys that they weren’t on the list. Of course, those weren’t easy conversations,” says Hoeneß, who “would have liked to have had everyone on the list. But there’s no point in complaining. The rules are there. We have to act accordingly and make decisions. Even if I don’t understand them.”
