Ermedin Demirović gives VfB Stuttgart selection headache with historic UEFA Champions League hat-trick
VfB Stuttgart forward Ermedin Demirović was at his destructive best in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, after netting a quickfire hat-trick against Norwegian side Viking. It was the 28-year-old's first start of the season after being benched in both of Stuttgart's opening Bundesliga matches. Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß now has a selection dilemma on his hands, with new signing Dženan Pejčinović also vying for a place in the starting XI.
The Bosnia-Herzegovina international struck three times in the space of 12 first-half minutes as VfB opened their Champions League campaign in style. Demirović broke the deadlock early on before the Scandinevians levelled two minutes later, only for the VfB Stuttgart No9 to respond with further goals inside the first 32 minutes.
It continued an impressive start to the campaign on an individual level. Demirović had been introduced from the bench in Stuttgart’s opening two Bundesliga matches, but needed only 15 minutes after coming on against Cologne on Matchday 2 to open his league account in a 4-1 triumph.
“It certainly didn’t hurt that he [Demirović] made such a good impact off the bench. Aside from that, [he] will play a good role for us this year. He’s an important player for us," Stuttgart head coach Hoeneß said of Demirović after the Cologne win.
Add that to his treble against Viking, and that makes four goals in his past four appearances, an emphatic response from a player who has seemingly dropped down the pecking order at Stuttgart since the end of last season.
As far as goals are concerned, Demirović has been a reliable source for Stuttgart over the past few years. He struck 15 times in all competitions last season (with 12 of those coming in the Bundesliga) despite starting only 17 times.
Beyond helping Stuttgart clinch an important victory, Demirović's goals against Viking also made club history, as he became the first VfB player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League. With only 12 minutes separating his first and third goals, it was also the fifth-fastest hat-trick since the competition began in 1992.
And there was another slice of history for the Hamburg-born striker to revel in. Demirović became only the second Bosnian player to register a Champions League hat-trick, following in the footsteps of Schalke forward Edin Džeko.
Speaking after the Viking win, Demirović stated: "For me, it was obviously a perfect start. For us as a team, too. We could have played even better. But as a team, we can be proud that we clearly beat our opponent."
Pleasingly for Stuttgart head coach Hoeneß, both of his big strikers have scored hat-tricks this season, as Pejčinović notched one on debut against Hansa Rosock in the DFB Cup. The Germany U21 international was subsequently preferred from the outset in both of his new side's Bundesliga outings, with Demirović instead having to make his impact from the bench.
Whether that remains the case for this weekend's regional derby at Hoffenheim remains to be seen. Hoeneß could certainly have far worse headaches to deal with than having two forwards in fine goalscoring form.
Pejčinović may represent Stuttgart’s future, having already shown why VfB were so determined to sign him over the summer. Demirović, though, has responded very well to the added competition in attack. After his clinical display against Viking, Hoeneß may find it increasingly difficult to leave him out.
