VfB Stuttgart’s big surprise continues to be plagued by bad luck | Goal.com

Veröffentlicht am 24 Aug 2026 | Lesezeit: 6 Minuten

While VfB Stuttgart spent weeks in the summer pursuing new striker Dzenan Pejcinovic, several players left the club and the rumour mill over possible departures is still in full swing, Nikolas Nartey quietly emerged as the winner of pre-season. In a way, that suits his character.

The Dane is not a man for big words, shies away from the public eye and leaves the spotlight to others. What matters to him is his own performance on the pitch, and that would have been more in demand than ever at the start of the new Bundesliga season. But after nine minutes of the first competitive match of the season, that was settled again. Instead of finally establishing himself at VfB, Nartey suffered a muscle injury to the back of his thigh in the DFB Cup against Hansa Rostock and will be out for weeks.

For VfB and Nartey, the setback has come at the worst possible time, especially for a player whose still-young career has so often been shaped by misfortune and a medical record far longer than it should be. The 26-year-old was on the verge of starting the Bundesliga season as a regular. Just not in his usual role as a central midfielder. Nor one line further forward or at left-back, where he has previously filled in. This time it was in unfamiliar territory. At right-back.

With Lorenz Assignon unavailable, Nartey would have been far more than a stop-gap. The defender arrived from Stade Rennes last summer for €12 million and is still struggling with the after-effects of shoulder surgery undergone at the end of the season. Nartey had thoroughly earned his new standing. Josha Vagnoman's situation made that even clearer.

Although the two-time international completed the full pre-season just like Nartey, Vagnoman had clearly slipped behind him in the pecking order. He was even considered a serious candidate for Julian Nagelsmann's World Cup squad at one stage. Nevertheless, Hoeneß appeared to have concerns after his fluctuating performances in the recent past. Now Vagnoman will still travel to Munich as the first-choice solution for the opening match, while the injury-prone returning loanee Leonidas Sterigou is still a long way from the starting XI and Finn Jeltsch is needed in his preferred position at centre-back.

Against Rostock, Vagnoman replaced Nartey and even set up Pejcinovic's third goal. On Friday, the 25-year-old faces the biggest possible trial by fire, with none other than Luis Diaz likely to line up against him. In his debut season, the left winger produced 15 goals and 17 assists for Bayern Munich. Stuttgart's casualty ward, already bursting at the seams, only makes the task look even bigger.

Rostock did not only claim Nartey. Chris Führich also left the pitch carrying a knock after a blow to the thigh, though VfB initially kept their cards close to their chest regarding his condition. Should the worst fears be confirmed for the attacking player, who with outstanding performances in the closing stages of the season had very nearly jumped aboard the World Cup train, Hoeneß would currently be without eight (!) potential starters for the opener against Bayern.

Alongside Nartey, Führich and Assignon, Dan-Axel Zagadou (thigh injury) and new No. 1 Dennis Seimen will definitely not be available. The latter returned from his loan spell at Paderborn with great expectations, before suffering a serious thigh injury shortly after his return to the Neckar. The 20-year-old, regarded as one of the country's biggest goalkeeping talents, is not expected to be back between the posts until the end of September at the earliest.

Fabian Bredlow will replace him because the decision-makers around sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth consciously decided against reacting in the transfer market and put their trust in the veteran for the transitional period.

Meanwhile, centre-backs Ramon Hendriks and Luca Jaquez (both muscular problems) are doubtful, as is the €15 million new signing Leo Sauer, who could theoretically replace Führich in the same position on the left wing. The Slovak only recently returned to team training after suffering a painful partial muscle tear at former club Feyenoord Rotterdam at the end of March.

On top of that, Hoeneß will probably also have to do without long-term patient Justin Diehl (thigh injury) and Jeremy Arevalo (back problems). The talented attacking duo were mainly parked with the second team last season, but amid the injury crisis they could certainly have been options from the bench in the squad.

All of that makes the loss of Stuttgart's utility weapon Nartey even more painful, because in an unfamiliar role he had wanted to open a new chapter in his very own fairy tale. Instead, the next bout of bad luck arrived.

Nartey's career has resembled a rollercoaster so far, with far more descents than climbs. Behind him lies a frightening spell of suffering with a series of injuries that can barely still be counted on two hands. Knees, ligaments, abdominal muscles, adductors, muscle fibres: Nartey's body has been through almost the full range of ailments a footballer can suffer. In his case, however, all within a single year. The absolute low point came shortly after his return and two appearances in the 2023 relegation play-off against HSV.

Then the fresh start planned for the following season quickly collapsed as well. It got even worse. Cartilage damage in the knee coupled with thigh problems put him out of action for two and a half years (!). At one stage, he is even said to have considered retiring. Nartey missed more than 100 matches in five seasons at VfB, who after his arrival in 2019 had initially loaned him to Hansa Rostock and then SV Sandhausen.

Still, those in charge in Stuttgart never lost faith in Nartey. Shortly after his first knee operation in 2022, the 1.86-metre left-footer was handed a new contract. Five days before it was due to expire in the summer of 2025, the deal, with heavily performance-related terms, was extended by another season, even though he had only made his comeback once again on matchday 34. Wohlgemuth and Co. could hardly have been blamed for parting ways. But the trust paid off.

Apart from an enforced lay-off of around two weeks, Nartey stayed fit and impressed with eye-catching performances, which ultimately earned him an improved contract extension until 2028. A deserved reward, as Wohlgemuth also stressed when announcing it in May. "Nikolas Nartey's path at VfB was, as is well known, for a long time anything but easy due to injury. That makes us all the more pleased that Niko has developed over the past few months into a stable and important factor within our team," explained the 47-year-old, before following up with words that very nearly came true at the start of the season: "Niko can provide important impetus for our game in various positions, so for us the renewed contract extension was the logical step. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Niko."

Nartey registered four goals and four assists across all competitions and since March has also been able to call himself a Denmark international. Before his tragic brief appearance in Rostock, his outings at right-back had meanwhile been limited to a short cameo in the Bundesliga at Mainz 05 (2-2) and a somewhat surprising starting nomination, Assignon stayed rooted to the bench for 90 minutes, against FC Porto in the Europa League last-16 first leg (1-2).

For the most part, Nartey operated in central or attacking midfield, which is why compared with his rivals he offers a completely different element on the right side of defence and gives Hoeneß plenty of flexibility. Nartey actually occupied his preferred position in his first of 38 appearances in the previous season: in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, when he came on a few minutes from time. Against Bayern Munich.

Almost exactly a year later, with a completely different standing, his involvement would have been more important than ever, just as Wohlgemuth had predicted when extending his contract. Instead, in a sense, he has become a symbol of Stuttgart's injury misfortune.

Season

before the 2025/26 season

in the 2025/26 season

Matches

22

39

Goals

0

4

Assists

0

4

Minutes played

976

1.559

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