Demirović on defeat in Basel: “We’re not looking for excuses, we made life difficult for ourselves”

Here’s what VfB’s striker and head coach had to say after the game in Switzerland.

VfB Stuttgart succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in the UEFA Europa League at the hands of FC Basel. The Bundesliga club’s captain Ermedin Demirović couldn’t hide his disappointment. 

“It’s a shame, we’re very disappointed. We’re not looking for excuses, we made life difficult for ourselves today,” the Bosnian said, in his post-match interview. 

“The support from the fans was absolutely brilliant. It was incredible to see how many travelled to the game and how much they pushed us on.

“That makes it all the more important that we give something back on Sunday against Heidenheim and give everything we’ve got to come out on top in that match,” he added. 

Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß also reflected on his side’s efforts and went into detail about where he felt they lost control of the game. 

“We made the worst possible start to the match. Going 1-0 down early on really put us on the back foot. In the second-half, the game was completely in our hands.

“We piled on the pressure for long spells and created lots of chances – but we just couldn’t get the ball over the line. We lacked that clinical edge and effectiveness in the final third.

“Basel made a lot out of very little. We have to acknowledge that and congratulate them on their home win,” said the 43-year-old.