Stuttgart opens Champions League campaign with focused performance

In front of a home crowd, VfB Stuttgart started strongly in the Champions League on Wednesday, 09.09.2026. Against the Norwegian champions Viking Stavanger, the Swabians displayed a focused performance and, thanks to Ermedin Demirovic’s outstanding hat‑trick, secured a convincing 3‑1, sending a clear signal for the upcoming league phase.

Demirovic scores hat‑trick

Ermedin Demirovic opened the match already after 20 minutes to make it 1‑0. Only six minutes later he increased it to 2‑0, before Zlatko Tripic equalised for Stavanger in the 26th minute. The striker completed his hat‑trick in the 32nd minute and restored the lead to 3‑1.

After the goal‑rich first half, Stuttgart dominated the game in the second period. The Swabians gave away hardly any dangerous chances, while Stavanger launched occasional attacks but no longer posed a serious threat. Thus the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

Coach Sebastian Hoeneß, often also referred to as Hoene, praised the focused performance of his team. He emphasized that the clear start is an important signal for the upcoming league phase and that the team now wants to consistently score points.

Importance for the Champions League strategy

The success is especially significant for VfB Stuttgart, after the last Champions League participation ended with an early exit. Against the Norwegian champions Viking Stavanger, Sebastian Hoeneß’s side aimed for points from the start, to boost confidence for the further elite competition.

After the kickoff, the Swabians’ focus turns in mid‑October to the away match at Slovan Bratislava. There the team should further build on the first three‑point haul in the league phase and collect important points in the battle for progression.

The convincing win provides VfB Stuttgart with an early success and strengthens morale for the upcoming Champions League tasks. The fans can now be excited to see whether the Swabians can maintain their strong performance throughout the season.