VfB Stuttgart are back in competitive action on Friday evening (kick-off 20:45 CEST) when they travel to F.C. Hansa Rostock in the first round of the DFB Cup. Having reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the last four seasons – and appeared in back-to-back finals in 2025 and 2026 – head coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s side are hoping for another deep run into the competition in 2026/27.
“It’s all about progressing,” Hoeneß said at his pre-match press conference. “We obviously want to play a certain way too, and we’re travelling to Rostock with the clear aim of winning the game, but we have to be ready for anything.”
“We’re going to need high intensity”
Hoeneß views third-division Rostock as one of the favourites to gain promotion to Bundesliga 2 at the end of the campaign. “They’re a very cohesive unit,” continued the VfB boss. “My opposite number, Daniel Brinkmann, is implementing a clear style of play. Rostock play possession-based football, defend aggressively and try to create space on the wings. We’re going to need high intensity, and a plan for each phase of the game. Playing two competitive games already will definitely be an advantage for Hansa, so we’re going to have to push ourselves to the limit.”
Several absentees
Hoeneß will have to make do without several players on the Baltic coast. Lorenz Assignon (shoulder surgery), Luca Jaquez (muscle problem), Jamie Leweling (infection) and Leo Sauer (muscle problem) have already been involved in large parts of first-team training, but Jeremy Arevalo, Justin Diehl, Dennis Seimen and Dan-Axel Zagadou are sidelined through injury. Ramon Hendricks is also doubtful with a muscle issue.