Germany and Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller reflects on a remarkable 18 months | OneFootball

Germany and VfB Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller reflects on a remarkable 18 months

In an exclusive interview with bundesliga.com, 23-year-old Germany and VfB Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller looks back on his rapid recent development and ahead to a bright future for club and country.

Stiller recently moved to 100 appearances in the German top-flight and took the time to mark the occasion before going back to where it all began on Matchday 23...

bundesliga.com: Angelo, welcome to the club of Bundesliga centurions. ls that a milestone you are proud of at the age of 23?

Angelo Stiller: "Yes, definitely. It is something special - first of all, thank you. It really is something special. I think, as a little boy, you dream of playing one Bundesliga match, and now to have reached triple digits shows that I’ve been on a good path. Of course, it makes me even more excited for the next hundred. But as I said, it's definitely something special for me and my family."

bundesliga.com: 47 of those games were for Hoffenheim, and 53 for VfB Stuttgart. How would you describe your career trajectory so far?

Stiller: "Rocky at first, but now things are definitely looking up. I wasn't really going anywhere until I switched to Stuttgart, and since I’ve been here, I just feel extremely comfortable. I'm enjoying my time here, and I am having fun playing football."

bundesliga.com: You recently extended your contract at Stuttgart by a year, too. What are your goals with the club, considering there’s a clear project and some momentum building?

Stiller: "I want to build something with Stuttgart, that is clear. Right from the start of our talks, I made it clear that I was willing to extend my contract. It was important to me to send a signal and show my teammates that we can achieve something big here. A few years ago, the club wasn’t where it is now, and I don’t want us to slip back. That’s why it was important for me to set an example.”

bundesliga.com: How would you describe your relationship with your coach, Sebastian Hoeneß? It must be something special since you have now worked together both at Hoffenheim and Stuttgart...

Stiller: “Yes, it’s definitely something special when a coach follows your career for so long and you get to play under him. I think we both see football the same way. I believe we both want to play the same kind of football, both offensively and defensively, and I think that it is important that we have that trust. That’s something I definitely feel from him, so yes, I would say it’s special to play under him.”

bundesliga.com: In which areas do you think you've made the biggest improvements over the last 18 months?

Stiller: "I’d say mostly defensively. That was never really my main responsibility, and I never did it with full conviction. But now, I actually enjoy making tackles and winning duels. That’s a good feeling, one I didn’t have before. It was drilled into me that football isn’t just about having the ball, it has to hurt sometimes too.”

bundesliga.com: How satisfied are you with this current season?

Stiller: “I think we’re more satisfied than many people might think. For the first time, we’re dealing with the challenge of playing in three competitions, and some players' schedules are even more packed with international duty. I’ve now realised how physically demanding that is. But considering everything, we are in a good position in the league, performed well in the Champions League, and are in the DFB Cup semi-finals. So overall, we can say it’s been a very good season so far. Of course, it probably won’t be as great as last year, but we know we’re still a strong team and are playing good football."

bundesliga: You mentioned last season, which was a remarkable journey for both you and the team. How do you reflect on the 2023/24 campaign?

Stiller: “I think we deserved to be runners-up. At the beginning, no one really expected that from us, including ourselves, to be honest. But over the course of the games, weeks, and months, we showed that we play good football. That’s why I believe the season should be rated very highly. Even though we know it will be even harder now to maintain that level, probably impossible, we can still be proud that we are no longer a team fighting at the bottom but instead competing in the top half of the table and, of course, we want to continue improving.”bundesliga.com: Coming back to this year, after three wins at the start of the year, there were three defeats, including the Champions League elimination against PSG. Then came an emphatic win in Dortmund, followed by a home defeat against Wolfsburg. Where does this inconsistency come from?Stiller: "That is a good question. I think we’d all prefer to play more consistently, but football isn’t always like that. We know we can play well, but for that, you need to be at one hundred percent and try to avoid mistakes. I don’t think the loss against Wolfsburg was necessary. Wolfsburg played well in the end and managed the game cleverly, but I think if you’re leading 1-0 in the 75th minute, you have to defend better. We switched off twice, and that’s how these defeats happen. We have to learn from that. Now, we no longer have the triple burden of competitions, so we can train more, work on details, and I think that’s important for the final stretch of the season.”

bundesliga.com: After facing Hoffenheim, your former club, this weekend, Bayern Munich await next Friday. How do you feel about playing against the club where you spent 11 of your formative years?Stiller: “Yeah, it’s definitely the most special game of the year for me in the Bundesliga. I’m from Munich, and my entire family supports Bayern. I’ve mentioned before that Bayern felt like my home club because I grew up playing there. So, it’s always something special to play against them, and of course, winning would be the best feeling. But we know how difficult that is, how strong Bayern are. They’re at the top of the table for a reason. So, we need to approach the week with full focus, prepare in the best possible way, have a solid match plan, and then we’ll see what happens.”

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