Demirovic credits cheerleading Undav and "attack dog" Rieder for winning brace
Undav kept things positive with his on-pitch banter while Rieder was kind enough to supply the assist on both of Demirovic's goals. The Bosnian striker labeled surprise star Rieder the team's "attack dog".
| Photo: VfB Stuttgart |
New VfB Stuttgart signing Ermedin Demirovic had to wait a while before scoring his second and third Bundesliga goals for his new club. The experienced Bosnia & Herzegovina international opened his league account inside of two minutes away at Freiburg on the 2024/25 campaign's opening day.
Demirovic's quick opener would prove to be the only Stuttgart goal on the day. Hosting Freiburg stormed back to score three unanswered at home. VfB trainer Sebastian Hoeneß omitted the 26-year-old from the subsequent starting XI against Mainz on match-day two.
On Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach, it looked as if Demirovic might as well have been dropped. His performance was largely ineffective before a blitz brace in the 58th and 61st enabled him to help the Swabians achieve a 3-1 victory.
“I think everyone in the team saw that the first half hour didn't go as I had envisioned," Demirovic told the Sky microphones afterwards, "There were probably a few situations in which I let my head hang low.”
"[Deniz Undav] kept saying that we were much better than we were playing," Demirovic continued, "It's very helpful as a team to have a guy like Deniz who pushes you all the time and highlights the positives. He told me to keep going. After that, I did better ."
Demirovic was also quick to credit young Swiss international Fabian Rieder for supplying assists on both his goals. The 22-year-old - who also scored last round against Mainz - has come out of nowhere to become one of the squad's most important players.
"Fabi is our little attack dog," Demirovic said, "He never gives up. I didn't know he was so fast.He does it brilliantly, of course. He keeps the ball in play, plays it perfectly up front. “The [2-1] was 80 percent him. I didn't do much as a striker.”
