Robaato Rasamu had made a solid start to life in Europe, guiding VfB Stuttgart to just one defeat in his first 14 games and challenging the dominant FC Bayern at the top of Bundesliga. As a result, he’d already earned the love of the Stuttgart board and supporters, who both gave him A+ ratings in January 2041.
Rasamu continued selling players that wouldn’t cut it, bringing in £4.7m for six players and freeing up £60k of wages. However, he was also resigned to losing best midfielder Jakub Szpakowski, who had a release fee of £11.75m, wouldn’t sign a new contract and joined Dortmund. Rasamu replaced him by going back to Brazil and paying £8m for Internacional’s Pereira, who lacks technically but has excellent mentals and physicals. He also turned to Argentina, snapping up full back Gastón Bueno for £5m from Vélez and midfielder Thiago Lazarte for £1.5m from Argentinos Jrs.
Momentum-Building Victory
Stuttgart began 2041 where they left off 2040 with winger Ángel Galeano’s brace inspiring a 3-1 comeback win at Monchengladbach that temporarily took them top of Bundesliga. That was followed by Rasamu’s biggest challenge yet with the visit of the dominant FC Bayern, who’d replaced them at the top and had his former Paranaense captain Lucas Pena Barcelos in midfield. Stuttgart started superbly as centre back Hashem Salari headed home a far post corner and Galeano did likewise from a neat throw in routine. They didn’t let up as the other centre back Thomas Friebe and Salari scored from three near post corners after the break. Stuttgart issued a warning to the rest of Bundesliga by crushing 28 times consecutive champions Bayern 5-0 with all five goals from set pieces!
The excitement of that win was tempered by a dull 0-0 at Dusseldorf but Stuttgart clearly took confidence from it. Galeano, striker Dejan Vujicic and Salari earned a 3-0 victory at struggling Union Berlin, with goalkeeper Marek Bílek winning player of the match in both those games. But Vujicic stole the limelight at home to Koln as he bagged a four-goal haul in a 6-0 drubbing. Then, wouldn’t you know it, Bílek got the flu before a huge game at 2nd-place Dortmund, which meant 16-year-old Patrick Abrogast had to make a tough debut. The youngster started well, making four saves before Vujicic broke away to score Stuttgart’s first shot. But he wasn’t helped out by his defence, who allowed Dortmund’s winger threw one-on-one for the equaliser then gave their striker an open goal, and they went on to lose 3-1.
Abrogast had a mucgh quieter home debut against struggling Hamburg as Vujicic’s brace led a 5-0 thumping. Rasamu wished he’d kept the youngster in as Bílek returned to have a stinker at home to Freiburg, letting in two goals from three shots so he took him off. And, out of nowhere, debutant Bueno came off the bench to score an absolute screamer to nick it 3-2 after Galeano had been sent off.
Vujicic suffered an injury but a draw at Wolfsburg without him wrapped up at least Europa League football next season, three years ahead of the board’s schedule. And Vujicic returned to score in a 3-0 win at home to Hoffenheim before a 2-2 at Hertha teed up an exciting title race.
Challenging Bayern For Bundesliga
With five games remaining, the top four of Bayern, Stuttgart, Dortmund and Leipzig were separated by just four points. Bayern probably had the easiest fixtures so remained huge favourites to make it 29 titles on the bounce.
Game 1 – Leverkusen (7th, home): The run-in began with a terrible first half but a wonderful Vujicic finish from the edge of the box put Stuttgart ahead on 50 minutes. The game was killed off as a Galeano corner bounced into the path of Friebe before winger Johann Krenc tapped in a third. That comprehensive 3-0 win wrapped up Champions League qualification and the other top four sides all won.
Game 2 – Schalke (8th, away): They started poorly at Schalke, giving up a mass of early shots and conceding but went up the other end and Pereira’s first goal for the club drew them level. They also started the second half badly but Rasamu went attacking and left back Harris Sumberac bagged his first of the season to salvage a late draw. Bayern won 3-2 at Dusseldorf while Dortmund drew 0-0 at Leipzig.
Game 3 – Leipzig (4th, home): A huge game followed with 3rd place effectively on the line and the two sides delivered an epic. Leipzig raced into a 2-0 lead and it looked all over after 38 minutes. Rasamu threw water bottles around the dressing room and got a reaction as Salari headed home a corner and Vujicic slammed home to make it 3-2. They kept pushing and Galeano’s low cross found playmaker Christopher Asare to smash home a dramatic equaliser seven minutes later. Vujicic missed a decent late chance and they settled for a chaotic 3-3.
Game 4 – Werder Bremen (13th, away): Vujicic nodded the opener late in the first half only for Werder to immediately equalise and nothing happened after the break. Bayern wrapped up the title before Stuttgart kicked off, obliterating relegated Union Berlin 11-0…
Game 5 – Borussia Monchengladbach (6th, home): Rasamu blooded some of the club’s youngsters on the final day, dishing out six full debuts. And one of them offered the only moment of quality as striker Radenko Butara scored a wonderful solo goal on 39 minutes. Salari scored a late penalty to secure a solid 2-0 win to end the season on a high.
Stuttgart’s 3rd place finish bagged them a cool £75m to work with in the summer. They finished on 75 points, losing just three times all season, winning 22 and drawing nine, and only lost once in their last 12 and twice in Rasamu’s 36 games. In fact, the top four teams only lost a combined 15 games all season while Bayern won all bar two of their final 16 matches – confirming to Rasamu that Bayern are simply Bundesliga bullies. Vujicic was second top scorer with 22 in 31, only behind Bayern’s Giraldo’s 24 in 25, and Galeano won VDV Newcomer der Saison.
Analysing A Strong First Season In Europe
Stuttgart’s form was built on a strong attack as their 80 goals was only bettered by Bayern’s ludicrous 117 – that’s 3.44 per match with a 36.88 xG overperformance! They had strong attacking output across the board but their numbers paled into significance compared to Bayern’s crazy numbers. But the defence also performed well with only Bayern and Dortmund (27 and 28) conceding fewer than their 33. They also had the best tackles won ratio (80%) and won possession more than any other side (3,391). And this success was achieved with only the 10th highest salary spend of £33m compared to Bayern’s £198m, Dortmund’s £92m and Leverkusen’s £90m.
Vujicic was both the Stuttgart top scorer and leading assister with 23 goals and 16 assists. Pushing him close was Galeano, who scored 14 with 11 assists, and Moriké Kante with 10 goals and 9 assists. Right winger Pelko delivered 14 assists and centre backs Friebe and Salari scored 8 and 7.
Rasamu was very happy with his first season at Stuttgart and felt he had the nucleus of a good team and some exciting prospects to work with. And that potential was boosted by a strong first youth intake led by a pair of wingers Adama Bamba and Robin Smulders.
Could Rasamu build on this strong start in Stuttgart and take a title fight to Bayern? And how would he fare in his first season in the Champions League? Join us on Monday to find out!
Football Manager Addict 
Leave a comment