VfB Stuttgart beat Arminia Bielefeld in the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday, bringing the competition to an end and securing a major trophy for the 2024/25 season.
Stuttgart practically settled the outcome of the match inside the opening 30 minutes, with Nick Woltemade (15′), Enzo Millot (22′) and Deniz Undav (28′) giving them a three-goal advantage. Millot struck again (66′) to make it 0-4, while a goal from Julian Kania (82′) and an own-goal from Josha Vagnoman (85′) only provided a bit of consolation for Arminia.
Teams
Arminia coach Michel Kniat fielded his team in a 4-3-3 formation. With Jonas Thomas Kersken in goal, centre-backs Leon Schneider and Maximillian Grosser were flanked by Felix Hagmann and Louis Oppie. Stefano Russo anchored the midfield, with Sam Schreck and Mael Corboz in box-to-box roles. Noah Joel Sarenren Bazee attacked from the right, Marius Worl from the left, and Joel Grodowski through the middle.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness went with a 4-2-3-1 shape. Alexander Nubel stood between the posts. Julian Chabot and Luca Jaquez paired up in the heart of defence. Maximilian Mitttelstadt covered the left defensive flank, Josha Vagnoman the right. Angelo Stiller and Atakan Karazor played the deeper midfield positions, while the trio of Chris Fuhrich, Deniz Undav and Enzo Millot ed striker Nick Woltemade as the focal point in attack.
Key moments
Bielefeld started brightly and nearly struck first when Bazee rattled the crossbar from close range. But Stuttgart made the most of their early chance as Nick Woltemade opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a precise low shot, just a day after receiving his first call-up.
Enzo Millot doubled the lead seven minutes later, tapping into an open net after smart build-up play from Deniz Undav, who got on the scoresheet himself in the 28th minute with a sharp finish into the bottom corner.
Millot capped his brace with a composed solo effort after the break, making it 4-0. Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor appeared to add a fifth, but his goal was chalked off for offside.
Bielefeld rallied late with a goal from Kania and a Vagnoman own-goal, briefly making things a bit tense. However, Nubel’s late save from substitute Lukas Kunze ensured Stuttgart held firm to lift their first trophy in this competition since 1997.
Arminia’s fantastic cup run
Regardless of this defeat, it’s been a very good season for Arminia Bielefeld, who reached the final by dispatching several Bundesliga sides before running into Stuttgart. In the round of 16, they beat Freiburg, followed by a triumph over Werder Bremen in the quarterfinals, but arguably the biggest upset they caused came in the semifinals when a 2-1 victory over last season’s Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen earned them a spot in the final.
It’s a great success for the team competing in the third tier of German football, where they finished the campaign at the top of the table as well.
A glorious end to a season of mixed results for Stuttgart
Stuttgart’s 2024/25 season was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Despite a disappointing 9th-place finish in the Bundesliga, which included a club-record six consecutive home defeats, the team eventually found redemption in the DFB-Pokal. Their Champions League campaign ended in the league phase, finishing 26th and missing out on the knockout stages, though a memorable 1-0 away win against Juventus stood out.
The highlight of the season was undoubtedly clinching their fourth DFB-Pokal title in this final. The triumph secured them a spot in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League and the opportunity to host the 2025 Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Under the Hoeness’s guidance, the team showcased resilience and depth. New gs like Woltemade, who became the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in 32 games and earned a call-up to the German national team, played pivotal roles. Millot also emerged as a key player, contributing significantly across all competitions.
While the league performance fell short of expectations, the cup success and emergence of new talents provided a silver lining, setting a hopeful tone for the season.
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