As the VfB Stuttgart prepares to open its new UEFA Champions League campaign as a clear favorite against Viking Stavanger, the Norwegian club arrives carrying the weight of historic momentum and a remarkably unconventional coaching structure.
An Unconventional Dual-Manager Model in Norway
When Viking Stavanger takes the pitch against Stuttgart, the club will do so under the joint leadership of Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen. According to reports cited by the Badische Zeitung, the two coaches have shared equal responsibilities as co-managers since January 2021. Last season, the duo achieved a historic milestone by leading the club to its first Norwegian championship in 34 years.
The unusual leadership structure has drawn positive attention from opposing dugouts. Speaking ahead of the fixture, Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeneß admitted that he finds the dual-coach setup fascinating. “It seems to work,” Hoeneß noted, as reported by Nussbaum. When asked by reporters whether he would ever consider sharing his own managerial duties, the 44-year-old manager smiled and said he would not rule it out entirely, though he added that no assistant coach has yet approached him to demand equal billing.
High Praise for Norwegian Football and Emerging Standards
Hoeneß utilized his pre-match media availability to offer a broader endorsement of the standard of football in Norway. Beyond Manchester City standout Erling Haaland, Hoeneß noted that Arsenal midfielder Martin Ödegaard also represents the top tier of international talent produced by the country.
According to coverage from the Badische Zeitung, Hoeneß suggested that Stavanger could replicate the surprise European success achieved recently by FK Bodö/Glimt. Bodö/Glimt advanced all the way to the round of 16 in a previous Champions League campaign before being eliminated by Sporting Lisbon. For Stavanger, Hoeneß observed, every fixture in Europe’s premier club competition serves as a celebration. Pressed on whether the Norwegian champions could compete domestically in the German Bundesliga, Hoeneß answered affirmatively: “Ganz sicher” (Most certainly).
Match Context and Schedule
The Champions League fixture between VfB Stuttgart and Viking Stavanger is scheduled for this Wednesday at 18:45 local time, with live broadcast coverage provided by DAZN, as confirmed by Nussbaum. Stuttgart enters the encounter as the favored side, while Stavanger looks to test its dual-manager philosophy against elite Bundesliga opposition on the continental stage.
