Professionals, 29. December 2024

“We sent out a statement”

In the third part of our review of 2024, Deniz Undav looks back on the period between July and September. The forward explains why he kept his cool as his transfer to VfB took place, and how the team grew together.

“It look longer than I hoped it would. At the start of August my move to VfB was a hot topic. Although there was lots of public speculation about it, I always stayed calm. After our fantastic season in 2023/24, I was desperate to keep playing for VfB. I have a lot of trust in my agent and the management at VfB, and they did everything to make it happen.

“I always believed that a solution would be found. On 9 August, VfB were able to announce that I would continue playing in Stuttgart. I was, and still am, very happy that the transfer was finalised.”

Selfies and autographs signs of appreciation

“In general, it’s remarkable how much the VfB fans and sometimes even supporters from opposing clubs appreciate me. I just try to be who I am, and I joke around a lot. If someone wants to take a photo with me or get my autograph, then those are nice things for me. They show that the way we perform as a team and the way we give everything out there resonates with people.”

Photos 2024

Januar: 5:2-Heimsieg gegen Leipzig

Februar: Heimserie gegen Mainz ausgebaut

März: Die 1000. Ausgabe „stadion aktuell“ erscheint

April: Die neue Haupttribüne der MHP Arena, samt Business-Bereichen und der Sport-, Medien- sowie Funktionsbereiche wird offiziell in Betrieb genommen

Mai: Erfolgreiches Saisonfinale

Juni: VfB-Spieler bei der Heim-EM

Juli: VfB auf Japan-Tour

August: Niederlage im DFL-Supercup

September: Der VfB zurück auf internationaler Bühne in der UEFA Champions League

Oktober: Der VfB siegt bei Juventus mit 1:0

November: Laternenumzug führt in die MHP Arena

Dezember: Weihnachtskonzert in der MHP Arena

Statement win over Dortmund

“In order for things to go well on the pitch, team spirit in the changing room is important. That’s a big factor with us. After we only took one point from our first couple of Bundesliga matches against Freiburg and Mainz, September took on greater significance. We knew that we needed wins to put ourselves in a good position. Our 5-1 home victory over Borussia Dortmund stands out in that regard. In that game, almost everything worked out for us. We sent out a statement.”

Dream come true at the Bernabéu

“The Champions League is obviously a huge highlight. A few years ago I was playing in the third division. I know where I’ve come from and that it’s only been possible through hard work. And now I’ve played with VfB at Real Madrid. That’s not something that you just take for granted – quite the opposite. I can still remember standing inside the Bernabéu on the day of our final training session and thinking: ‘Wow, this is incredible, this is a dream come true.’ We competed with them on an even footing for 60 minutes and even had the better chances, but ultimately Madrid were clinical and scored two goals more than us.

“I like to say that we don’t have any stress in the Champions League; we’re enjoying the competition. It’s crazy how tight the table is. We just want to do our best in every game. That way we can see how we measure up against the best. It would be incredible to make our next dream come true and progress to the next round. That would allow the fans to continue travelling around Europe with us for a while longer.”

2024 – a special year for VfB

VfB have experienced a lot over the last 12 months. Before the turn of the year, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Atakan Karazor (both already published) and head coach Sebastian Hoeneß (30 December) also recount extraordinary moments from their personal perspectives.

Latest › News › Professionals

28.12.2024

“We keep coming back”

In the second part of our review of the year, Atakan Karazor reflects on the months April to June. The midfielder recalls some wonderful successes but also one setback, which unleashed added energy for the 2023/24 run-in.