Yanik Spalt has put himself in line for further first-team appearances at VfB Stuttgart after impressing in his Champions League debut against Galatasaray in Istanbul, with head coach Sebastian Hoeneß saying the young Austrian midfielder had definitively earned more playing time, LAOLA1 reported.
Spalt, an Austria under-21 international, stood on the pitch for 72 minutes in the match against the Turkish side and left a solid statistical impression in the process.
72 Minutes, 86 Percent Passing Against Galatasaray
The midfielder completed 25 of his 29 passes, an 86 percent success rate, and won three of six ground duels, a 50 percent share, according to the match statistics cited by LAOLA1.
Stuttgart faced Galatasaray, a club with a formidable European pedigree, in Istanbul, and Spalt held his own in midfield for more than an hour before being substituted.
Early substitution for Stuttgart 19 year old yanik spalt is subbed in for Atakan karazor
Yellow Card on Double Goalscorer Batrakov
In first-half stoppage time, he picked up a yellow card for a foul on Aleksey Batrakov, the Galatasaray forward who went on to score twice in the match.
The booking came at a delicate moment, but it did not derail his overall performance, and Hoeneß’s post-match assessment was emphatic.
From Bludenz via Vorarlberg’s Academy to Stuttgart
Spalt, a native of Bludenz in western Austria, joined VfB Stuttgart in 2023 from the AKA Vorarlberg academy, moving into the club’s youth setup. He made his Bundesliga debut for the first team last September and has also featured recently for Stuttgart’s second team in Germany’s 3. Liga.
That pathway — regional academy, reserve-team football in the third tier, a first Bundesliga appearance, and now a Champions League bow in Istanbul — traces a steady climb through the Stuttgart system.
Wir müssen verletzungsbedingt wechseln. Für Atakan #Karazor geht es nicht weiter. Yanik #Spalt kommt rein. #VfB | #VfB1893 | #StuttgartInternational | #UCL | #GALVfB 2:0 (18.)
Hoeneß: He Played Like a Veteran
After the final whistle, Hoeneß heaped praise on his young midfielder. As quoted by kicker, the coach said Spalt had put in a huge game, taken his heart in his hand, and played like a veteran. Hoeneß added that Spalt had definitively earned himself further appearances with the display.
For a player who had most recently been turning out for Stuttgart II in the 3. Liga’s move to the Champions League was a bigger challenge—and, according to his coach, he handled it calmly.
After the performance against Galatasaray, Hoeneß publicly backed Spalt, saying he has definitely earned further appearances.
Related reading
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2026/11/03/image-1cc6f302-1913-4ad5-9871-d41389e6586e-85-2560-1440.jpeg)