VfB Stuttgart Aims for Stability Despite Champions League Success
VfB Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle has downplayed the club’s chances of challenging the Bundesliga’s elite, despite their recent second-place finish and Champions League qualification.
"Clubs like Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Bayer Leverkusen are far ahead of us in terms of revenue and investment opportunities," Wehrle told transfermarkt.de. "Closing this gap will take years, perhaps even decades."
Wehrle emphasized that the club’s primary goal remains establishing themselves as a stable Bundesliga member capable of occasionally qualifying for European competition. Through prudent squad planning, Stuttgart aims to create the potential for occasional "positive surprises."
Last season, Stuttgart defied expectations by finishing runners-up, a remarkable turnaround after years of battling relegation. This season, they are again in contention for Champions League qualification, currently sitting fifth in the Bundesliga standings.
However, Wehrle believes it would be unrealistic to expect Stuttgart to maintain such a high level of success consistently.
"We have to be aware of our limitations," Wehrle said. "We don’t have the same financial resources as the top clubs. Our focus must be on building a solid foundation and continuing to improve incrementally."
Stuttgart’s recent resurgence has been attributed to several factors, including the arrival of manager Pellegrino Matarazzo and the emergence of young talents such as Sasa Kalajdzic and Borna Sosa.
Matarazzo has implemented a progressive, attacking style of play that has brought out the best in Stuttgart’s young squad. He has also shown a willingness to give opportunities to academy graduates, fostering a sense of identity within the team.
"We have a talented group of players who are hungry to succeed," Wehrle said. "Pellegrino has done an exceptional job of instilling a belief in them. We have the potential to cause an upset on any given day, but we are not getting carried away."
Stuttgart’s Champions League campaign ended at the group stage, but Wehrle believes the experience will be invaluable for the club’s development.
"Playing against top European teams will help us learn and improve," Wehrle said. "We will take the lessons we have learned and apply them to our future challenges."
Despite the club’s modest ambitions, Wehrle is optimistic about Stuttgart’s future.
"We have a strong foundation in place," Wehrle said. "We are financially stable and have a loyal fan base. With continued hard work and smart decision-making, we can build a team that will compete for success in the years to come."
