Despite the incident’s intensity, Stuttgart chose restraint as their official stance. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth, speaking after the match, declined to fuel the controversy further.
“I saw it, but from a distance it was still difficult for me to assess. It’s about Europa League points for Deventer just as it is for us,” he said. “So if emotions are running high and then quickly subside, and the referee takes the right measures, then it’s not all that big of a deal. Therefore, everything’s fine.”
Stuttgart’s intention was to move past the flashpoint quickly, focusing instead on their strong European campaign. Stiller, substituted in the 80th minute, received visible support from teammates, and the squad regained composure almost instantly.
After five matches in the Europa League, the Bundesliga club stand 12th in the table with three wins and two defeats. However, the differences in points aren’t much with top spot holder Lyon on 12 points while Stuttgart are on nine.
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