That hasn’t happened since 1967
Guirassy’s “insane” run inspires VfB Stuttgart
September 17, 2023, 11:08 a.m
VfB Stuttgart is celebrating its best start to the season in 19 years. Serhou Guirassy played a huge part in this with an incredible goal tally that hasn’t been seen in the Bundesliga since 1967. But despite the strong start to the season, coach Sebastian Hoeneß warns against too much euphoria.
Eight goals after four match days, Robert Lewandowski had never achieved this feat, even the great Gerd Müller couldn’t achieve this. Instead of making big noises after the best start to the season by a Bundesliga striker in 56 (!) years, Serhou Guirassy was very reserved and just smiled sheepishly. “We’re all happy, I’m happy,” said the man of the hour at VfB Stuttgart, but after his hat-trick he just wanted to “chill out with my family.”
After the 27-year-old from Guinea’s next gala performance in the Swabians’ 3-1 (0-0) win at the struggling FSV Mainz 05, others went into raptures. “He’s probably in the form of his life right now,” praised VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß and fellow striker Deniz Undav was very impressed: “The odds are insane.” Gladbach’s Peter Meyer started the 1967/68 season with nine goals on the first four match days. Thanks to Guirassy’s incredible run, VfB is now even firmly established in the top group, only one point behind the top teams Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich (both ten) after three wins. The Swabians have not had such a good start to a Bundesliga season since 2004 under coach Matthias Sammer.
Guirassy hits from all positions
“We just have the opportunity to use the run we feel in games like this,” emphasized Hoeneß. Mainz, who have been waiting for a win for nine games across the season despite Leandro Barreiro’s goal (70th) and are in the bottom of the table with just one point, really didn’t make it easy for the guests for a long time. But Guirassy made the difference with his three goals (56th/84th/90th+7) – once again.
“He is able to score goals from a wide variety of situations,” said Hoeneß and couldn’t help but rave when he listed Guirassy’s qualities: “With his head, with his right, with his left, he is scary one-on-one calm and deliberate. He is very creative and quick – a very complete player who also benefits from the team.” Above all, Guirassy was characterized by his extreme naturalness in front of the goal in Mainz – emblematic of this was the sensational third goal, when he first tipped the ball over Phillipp Mwene with his right foot and then lobbed it with his head over the storming keeper Robin Zentner.
But despite the strong start to the season and the feeling that everything is going well at the moment, Hoeneß warned against too much euphoria. “We should stay on the ground. We have to work hard for things,” said the 41-year-old, under whose direction Stuttgart celebrated ten wins in 17 competitive games: “I’m not worried at the moment that anyone will see it differently, but I’ll preach that anyway.” As long as Guirassy scores how he wants, nobody in Stuttgart has to worry anyway.