VfB Stuttgart: Club boss Vogt - "Corona is a catalyst for alienation"

The Bundesliga is increasingly noticing that interest in its product is decreasing. Fans turn away, sponsors rethink their commitment. The corona pandemic is accelerating this development. Stuttgart's club boss Vogt paints a gloomy picture.

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In times of ghost games, President Claus Vogt of VfB Stuttgart perceives an increasing alienation between professional football and its fans.

“Interest is waning.

Conversations with fans, members or business partners show me that, "said the 51-year-old.

“People, for whom that would have been unthinkable before, suddenly get by for a weekend without football.

For months, football has lost what it is that defines it: its emotionality.

But Corona is not the only cause of this alienation, it's a catalyst. "

This development has "been going on for several years," said Vogt, who was elected the new President of the Swabian Bundesliga club almost exactly twelve months ago.

“In some areas of professional football, it's all too often about earning as much as quickly and as much as possible.

That should be reminded.

Now that merchandising sales have fallen or stadiums have not become full even in times of partial admission, some clubs are feeling this, ”he said.

"Salaries and redundancies are too high, competitions too bloated and predictable due to lottery pots, weeks too packed with games and TV broadcasts," said Vogt and demanded: "In many areas we should go down a gear again."

Can Stuttgart use BVB's weak phase?

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The VfB Stuttgart team has to compete at fourth place Borussia Dortmund this Saturday (3.30 p.m., in the sports ticker of WELT).

The remarkably brave climber has so far been one of the positive surprises of a still young Bundesliga season.

In addition, Stuttgart have not yet lost a game away.

Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo at BVB may also be able to rely on striker Nicolás González, whom he and midfielder Daniel Didavi promised a return to the squad.

Both of them had recently at least partially returned to team training after a knee or hip injury.

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But even so, VfB has the potential to hurt BVB, which has been burdened by several competitions.

After three games without a win in a row, Dortmund recently returned to the road to success with a 2-1 win in the Champions League at Zenit St. Petersburg.

Borussia did not show a convincing performance in Russia either.

The Dortmund ensemble is weakening especially in the defensive outside positions, and that could offer opportunities for the recently strong Silas Wamangituka or for the sharp flanks of left-footed Borna Sosa.

"You shouldn't forget that Dortmund have recently achieved a few mixed results," said Matarazzo, who has also recognized that BVB has problems with opponents who are low.

This may cause him to neglect his own courageous approach.

“Of course you weigh up the extent to which you move away from your own DNA in order to be successful,” said the VfB coach.