Hoeneß calls halt to celebrations until Stuttgart reach Champions League
VfB Stuttgart have an opportunity to reach an important milestone with a home win over Eintracht Frankfurt this evening. The Swabian sensations will officially secure an Europa League berth should they secure all three points against their Hessen guests. For VfB trainer Sebastian Hoeneß, however, celebrations will be postponed until a more ambitious goal is attained.
Stuttgart are widely regarded to be on course for a place in the top-four and a Champions' League berth. As monumental an accomplishment as it shall be for a team that survived last season only via the relegation playoffs to play in Europe next year, Hoeneß emphasized that the real objective remained playing in Europe's elite division. With fellow top-four teams Bayern and Leverkusen still on the docket, this isn't a forgone conclusion yet.
"You won't see me on the [barrier between the pitch and Ultra Kurve] railings," Hoeneß remarked at his Friday pre-match presser, "Unless something that belongs to me gets stuck in the fence, I won't be climbing up there. We have a difficult remaining schedule."
Hoeneß is on record as promising the VfB fan scene that he would celebrate with them should the team achieve something great this year. With a wink and a nod, the gaffer made clear that such celebrations would be deferred until Stuttgart's place in the top four is cemented. The Württembergers hit the road after this evening's home fixture to play Bremen and Leverkusen away. The next home match is against Bayern in three weeks' time.
Hoeneß' side beat Frankfurt at home back in the Hin-runde; one of five 18:30 kickoffs this season in which the team collected all three points. Stuttgart also beat Bremen and took a point off of Xabi Alonso's Werkself, yet lost 0-3 to Bayern at the Allianz on match-day 15. The Cannstatter wrap up the season with winnable matches against easier opponents Augsburg and Gladbach.
