Stuttgarter Kickers in the cup: "There are certainly parallels to Frankfurt"

The Stuttgarter Kickers live in their own world in the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg.

While the coaches of some rivals meet after the game for a press conference on the pitch or in containers, the former first division club broadcasts them live in the VIP room.

The infrastructure in the small but pretty Waldau Stadium in the Degerloch district of Stuttgart is reminiscent of the glorious times when the Kickers were part of the establishment of the second division.

She still leads the all-time table there in eighth place, four points ahead of SC Freiburg.

The Kickers also stand out from their competitors in terms of sport this season.

That hasn't always been the case in recent years.

After falling into the Oberliga four and a half years ago, the Stuttgart team is now trying for the fifth year in a row to leave the fifth division behind.

Last season they failed only because of the worse goal difference.

This season it could actually work with promotion to the Regionalliga Südwest.

After 13 match days, they lead the table ahead of Sonnenhof Großaspach with three points.

They collected ten victories, six of them in a row.

"We're on the right track," says Kickers coach Mustafa Ünal.

And now this Tuesday (6 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the DFB Cup and on Sky) in the second round of the DFB Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt will be the preliminary highlight of the season.

Within a few hours, the stadium under the television tower, with around 11,500 seats, was sold out.

It was last filled with more than 10,000 spectators 15 years ago.

2006 against Hertha BSC, when the game had to be stopped because of a cup thrown.

“Finally we are not the favourites”

Ünal is looking forward to the game against the European Cup winners.

"Finally we're not the favourites," says the 39-year-old coach: "We have nothing to lose." He's been training the Kickers in his level-headed manner for more than a year. Ünal, a part-time teacher, also wants to League participants present their offensive football.

In the Oberliga, the Stuttgarters have a lot of ball possession, usually combine quickly and artfully to the front and score a lot of goals.

"I'm curious to see how quickly we will get used to the speed of Frankfurt," he says: "It's not our everyday life."

Everyday life is the premier league.

Many see the Kickers in the third division.

At least.

Apart from the coach, they still work under professional conditions.

The players can fully devote themselves to football – only a few study on the side.

However, one looks in vain for a former first or second division professional in the squad, only sports director Marc Stein can look back on more than 120 games in the first and second division, playing for Hansa Rostock, Hertha BSC and FSV Frankfurt, among others.

"The Kickers don't belong in the premier league," says the 37-year-old.

That's why games like the one against Frankfurt are so important.

"We can finally play nationwide again."

It should be promotion to the regional league this season.

But not at any price, confesses Stein.

Everything should grow healthily, the squad, the environment and the infrastructure.

That's why Kickers didn't bring in an expensive player after beating Greuther Fürth, who had been relegated to the Bundesliga, in the first round.

"We want to use the money to broaden our horizons and not do any crazy things," says Stein.

The Kickers have already earned more than 450,000 euros from the DFB Cup.

This creates planning security, emphasizes Stein, who, in addition to his sporting career, also advanced his academic and studied business administration.

He wants to build something at Kickers that will last.

Mustafa Ünal brings in calm

After being relegated from the second division 21 years ago, the club experienced an unprecedented decline - including a number of managerial changes and debts.

The usual, when a traditional club loses its orientation.

Mustafa Ünal has so far managed to bring calm and continuity to the club.

He has played 53 competitive games in all competitions, he has only lost four and by winning the Württemberg Association Cup against SSV Ulm he also has the right to start in the DFB Cup.

"A big step," he says.

More are to follow.

First the ascent.

"That's hard enough, as seen in the past."

But the Kickers have always been able to rely on one thing, even in the past unsuccessful years: the loyal audience.

Almost 2400 spectators have come to the Waldau on average this round.

"There are certainly parallels to Frankfurt," says sports director Stein: "We also live from tradition, from emotions and the boundless love of the spectators."

Against Frankfurt, the players want to give the fans an unforgettable evening.

How memorable will depend on how long Kickers can keep the game balanced.

Ünal says: "The pressure is on Eintracht." In any case, it is certain that the press conference with him and Oliver Glasner will then be broadcast in the VIP room.