Sebastian Hoeneß baffled by Stuttgart penalty decision: ‘I simply don’t understand it’

Sebastian Hoeneß has questioned why officials did not review Stuttgart’s first-half penalty appeal more closely during Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim.

Angelo Stiller went down following a knee-to-knee collision inside the area and was subsequently forced out of the game, with Yannik Spalt replacing him.

Hoeneß was in little doubt about the incident after seeing the replays, describing it as a clear penalty.

“It’s simply a clear penalty,” Hoeneß told DAZN.

“Anyone who has played football knows that knee-to-knee contact really hurts in the first place.

“Secondly, you can see in both replays how his knee really gets knocked away.”

The Stuttgart boss also pointed towards Stiller’s immediate reaction and subsequent substitution as evidence of the severity of the contact.

“And then, sorry, Angelo reacts immediately,” he continued.

“It’s not even as if there’s a delay and he suddenly realises, ‘Oh, there was contact there.’ He reacts immediately to the contact.

“And, by the way, he then has to be substituted afterwards.”

Hoeneß was particularly surprised that the referee was not sent to the monitor to reassess the incident.

“To not even look at the situation again, I have to ask what Tobias Welz in the VAR room told the referee.

“I simply don’t understand it. I’m very surprised.”

After Maximilian Mittelstädt's equaliser in the early stages of the second half, Stuttgart would seize control. 

However, Hoffenheim's Adam Hlozek would net his second of the afternoon in the 67th minute, condemning VfB to their second away loss of the season so far, leaving a record of two losses and one win after three matches.