“Beaten with a stick”: VfB boss pissed off!
27.11.2025 22:27 | 3:14m
Alexander Wehrle, CEO of VfB Stuttgart, used the RTL microphone to vividly describe the terrible scenes that VfB fans had to experience before the game against Deventer in the Europa League:
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Unfortunately the guest block is now only half full. You were also an eyewitness at the fan meeting today. It was about three buses, I think. With Stuttgart fans and very tough police personnel from Deventer. Which then led to the mayor of Deventer issuing a stadium ban. What can you tell us about this as an eyewitness?
Yes, I was there from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Completely disproportionate. I also saw our fans get off the bus and they were beaten with sticks. Sticks and three buses were not even allowed into the fan meeting. But they got their tickets there and the others then went home with them out of solidarity. Absolutely understandable. This is how the fan culture is ruined in Europe. And I have to say, I’m shocked. We also complained to UEFA. We can’t leave it like that either. And I’m glad I saw it myself because I never thought it would be possible, even after that. We were too. We were then held for over an hour and a half before we were even able to leave the area again. This no longer has anything to do with a fair fan culture. What the police department has allowed here and as I said, these are fans off the bus. I saw it myself, there are also videos where they were simply welcomed with the stick. We’ll hit you first. It doesn’t work that way and it’s unacceptable and we won’t let it go.
Alex Do you have any idea why the police reacted so harshly?
No, not at all. I was there. The justification was that there was a scramble when it came to the entry situation from the three buses to the fan meeting point. At every stadium there is a scramble for entry. If that was the reason why the other three buses were not allowed. At the beating point. I have to say, I don’t understand it. And we won’t put up with that either.
What do you think is the next step? You mentioned UEFA. There, too, you will certainly have a complaint. How? How do you have to imagine this now? What rights do you have in the interests of the fans, also in the interests of the club?
We immediately sent a written complaint to UEFA. The delegate was also there and got a picture. I couldn’t understand it either. This has been commissioned by the delegates and so they have to work through it. But that doesn’t help us today because six buses went back to Stuttgart and had to go back to Stuttgart. And so we will certainly have to discuss one or two things in the future.
Have you been able to speak to an official yet? Or the mayor, for example?
Yes i have. I spoke to the delegate beforehand. I also spoke to the people in charge at the Eagles, who are really great colleagues. We had a great lunch with them. It’s not your fault if the mayor ultimately decides with the police department that our boys have to go home. And the girls. And as I said, completely disproportionate. But what really shocks me is when you get off a bus in Europe today and the first greeting you get is a stick in the neck. Where are we then?
