Hello Fabian, apart from Atakan Karazor and Pascal Stenzel, you’re the only player in the current squad who’s been at VfB continuously since 2019. What does this club mean to you?
Fabian Bredlow: “VfB has become a home away from home for me. I’ve spent a large proportion of my professional career here now and worn the VfB shirt for six years. In that time, I’ve been able to experience and be involved in a huge amount, which has shaped me. On top of that, my son was born in Stuttgart and we as a family feel very at home in the region.”
What are your top three moments with VfB?
Fabian: “In terms of the emotions, surviving relegation from the Bundesliga in 2022 thanks to Wataru Endo’s goal is certainly up there. I’ve not experienced such an explosion of feeling – on the pitch, on the bench and in the stands – again since. The whole stadium was in a state of pure ecstasy in that moment. On top of that, my debut in the Champions League was a special moment for me. To play in Europe’s premier club competition was a dream come true. In first place I’d put the DFB Cup win in 2025: I still get goosebumps when I think about it. Winning a trophy lasts forever and will always unite us as a team.”
Goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow:
My goal is to live up to the expectations of the coaching staff and the team. I put a lot into every training session and signal that I’m ready at any time to play, as soon as I’m needed.
The cup is permanently etched – in your case, literally too…
Fabian: “Well spotted! (laughs) I have a small tattoo of the DFB Cup trophy on my leg. In theory, there’d be space if another trophy were to be added to it during my time at VfB…”
Coaches and players constantly emphasise how much they can rely on you. You normally act as the ‘number two’ – how do you handle this role?
Fabian: “My goal is to live up to the expectations of the coaching staff and the team. I put a lot into every training session and signal that I’m ready at any time to play, as soon as I’m needed. I accept my role and do my bit out of conviction so that we’re successful as a goalkeeper group.”
The current season is heading into the home straight. How do you rate your chances in the run-in?
Fabian: “We’re in a good position in two competitions. The DFB Cup semi-final against SC Freiburg will be a highlight of the season. We all want to get to Berlin and are very motivated. We have a tough schedule ahead of us in the Bundesliga, which we’re approaching with a great sense of anticipation. In my opinion, it’s important that we take it one game at a time. We need to do the business now on Sunday at the MHP Arena against Hamburger SV – and only then does it make sense to look to the next game.”