From Lightning Start to Lights Out – How We Forgot Everything Except How to Take the Lead

There are games that sum up a season. And then there’s this 1–3 in Stuttgart, basically yelling: “Champions League? Only if everyone else completely collapses.” After 34 seconds, it felt like we had written the script ourselves. Pressing, turnover, Garcia—boom, lead. That’s how a team plays that wants Europe. Or so we thought.

What followed was more like a greatest hits compilation of our familiar weaknesses. Stuttgart became exactly what we were supposed to be: hungry, sharp, structured. While we leaned back after the dream start and slipped into spectator mode, they just kept going. And us? Watching Demirović turn into a one-man show without ever changing the channel.

The issue isn’t losing in Stuttgart. It’s how we lost. No grip in midfield, too much space between the lines, not nearly enough bite in duels. And up front? Basically gone after the 1–0. Six shots, an xG that’s borderline embarrassing—that’s not a slip, that’s a statement. Unfortunately, the wrong one.

The penalty before halftime fits the pattern: unnecessary, clumsy, and perfectly timed to hurt. Once Stuttgart smelled blood, the direction was obvious. That we had no response was, sadly, just as predictable. This team can be spectacular—but it can also completely lose the plot. We’ve seen both versions far too often this season.

In the end, it feels like we’re missing exactly what top teams have: stability, maturity, a clear Plan B. Instead, we rely on moments—and when they fade, we’re left like in Stuttgart: clueless and chasing shadows.

Now it’s HSV and hoping two rivals slip. Realistic? Not really. But this is Bayer 04—hope is basically part of the identity. At some point, though, you have to ask why we always seem to need it.