VfB Stuttgart is puzzled about the reasons for the catastrophic performance in the first half at 1: 2 (0: 2) at FC Schalke 04. After the fourth defeat in the seventh game since coach Bruno Labbadia returned, there were contradictory statements from the coach, Sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth and the players.

Wohlgemuth, in particular, astounded with his assessment. "We didn't expect Schalke's determination," said the 43-year-old after the bitter defeat at the bottom of the table and direct competitor in the fight against relegation from the Bundesliga. A little later, when asked, he repeated this with similar words: "It's a matter of the head that you're not quite prepared for the force you have to reckon with here. That's an issue we have to work on."

Labbadia replies: "You already knew what was coming"

Labbadia vehemently disagreed. "We prepared them for what awaited us. They knew what was coming," said the 57-year-old as he prepared his players for the important game. According to goalkeeper Fabian Bredlow, given his side's emotionless first half, the players were "rightly given an run-in" by Labbadia during the break. "He got loud then," said Bredlow.

Wohlgemuth, on the other hand, then reported on a "factual" speech by the coach, who had sent his team twice into the second half with changes in personnel and then got to see another team. "It's annoying because in the second half you saw what could have been possible. But in the first half we completely slept through it. We didn't work well as a collective," Labbadia complained afterwards, indicating an attitude problem: " It's always like this with us: We're always on, but the last bit is missing."

As a result of the defeat, Schalke, as the last team, moved up to three points behind VfB in 15th place. "We brought them back in," Wohlgemuth complained.