Ermedin Demirovic's Hat-Trick Leads Stuttgart to Victory
On the night VfB Stuttgart celebrated their 133rd birthday, Ermedin Demirovic brought the party.
Three chances. Three goals. One statement.
His hat-trick drove Stuttgart to a 3-1 win over Viking FK at the MHP Arena and gave Sebastian Hoeness’ side exactly what they wanted from their first outing in the new Champions League league phase: three points, authority, and a centre-forward playing like he owns the stage.
Slow start, ruthless response
Stuttgart did not glide into this one. The opening spell was jittery, almost subdued, the home side feeling their way into a contest that Viking were happy to disrupt with sharp counters and aggressive pressing.
Then, in the 20th minute, Demirovic snapped the game into focus.
Angelo Stiller slipped a clever ball into the box, and the Bosnian international reacted quicker than anyone. One touch, a sharp poke past the goalkeeper, and the anniversary crowd finally had its roar. It was a poacher’s finish, simple on the eye, brutal in its timing.
The lead barely had time to settle.
Two minutes later, Zlatko Tripic punished Stuttgart’s loose defensive shape on the break, racing clear to level for the Norwegian visitors. The equaliser stung. Viking had their away goal, their foothold, and for a brief moment the MHP Arena tightened.
That was as good as it got for the visitors.
A 12-minute demolition
The response from Stuttgart’s front line was emphatic. Demirovic, now fully locked in, began to tear into Viking almost single-handedly, with Deniz Undav the perfect foil.
Their combination play carved open the Norwegian defence twice more before the interval. The second goal of Demirovic’s treble was all about power and precision: a sharp move, a clean strike, the ball thundering into the roof of the net. No doubt, no hesitation.
The third underlined why he is so valuable at this level. Receiving the ball in a crowded penalty area, Demirovic killed it, waited, and picked his moment. Composure, tight control, then the finish. Twelve minutes, three goals, and a Champions League campaign launched with real intent.
By half-time, Stuttgart were 3-1 up and cruising. The scoreline reflected their attacking quality, but not the full story of the contest.
Hoeness’ warning sign
Demirovic spoke afterwards with the calm of a man who knows nights like this are only a starting point. He enjoyed the occasion, the hat-trick, the perfect opening to Europe, and made no secret of his satisfaction at justifying Stuttgart’s status as clear favourites.
Yet he did not pretend the performance was flawless.
Viking, especially after the break, continued to threaten on the counter. Their transitions exposed gaps and forced Stuttgart’s back line into some hurried recoveries. Those “moments of concern” were not lost on the forward, who echoed Sebastian Hoeness’ assessment that this team still has work to do without the ball.
Both player and coach landed on the same theme: tactical discipline has to sharpen as the tournament deepens. Defensive transitions, in particular, must tighten. For all the attacking fireworks, this was a reminder that Champions League campaigns are often decided by what happens when you lose possession, not when you have it.
Control, chances, and what comes next
The second half never matched the chaos of the first. Stuttgart managed the game, kept Viking at arm’s length for long stretches, and protected their two-goal cushion with a measure of maturity.
Undav, so influential in the build-up to Demirovic’s treble, could have added his own name to the scoresheet late on. He passed up chances to extend the lead, opportunities that on another night might matter more. Here, they simply underlined how dominant Stuttgart had become.
Hoeness’ side closed the match with a calm assurance, seeing it out without serious drama. The job was done, the objective met, and the anniversary crowd could savour both the occasion and the scoreline.
Most important of all, Stuttgart walk away with a centre-forward in devastating form. Demirovic’s clinical edge gives this team a cutting weapon for the heavier, more complex fixtures that await in the league phase.
If this is how he starts the campaign, the real question is how far his goals can carry Stuttgart when the opposition gets stronger and the margins grow thinner.
