Following their disheartening elimination from the Europa League on Thursday evening, the players and coaching staff of VfB Stuttgart were in unanimous agreement regarding one outstanding factor: the exceptional goalkeeping of Porto’s Diogo Costa. Stuttgart’s head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, team captain Atakan Karazor, and German international striker Deniz Undav all offered high praise for the acclaimed Portuguese international in their post-match reflections.
Despite creating numerous promising opportunities and firing many shots on target, Hoeneß conceded, “We had good chances and plenty shots on target, but one simply has to acknowledge the opposing goalkeeper, who was unequivocally the best player on the pitch today.”
Team captain Atakan Karazor echoed this sentiment, noting Costa’s “outstanding” performance. He also reflected on Stuttgart’s misfortune, stating, “We experienced some bad luck defensively. The [1-0] goal was just unlucky, the kind of incident that occurs perhaps once in a hundred times.”
VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel expressed the team’s disappointment, remarking, “It’s deeply painful because we played well in both legs. Today, he [Costa] truly surpassed himself, delivering a performance on his best day.”
Striker Deniz Undav further elaborated on Costa’s brilliance, highlighting his wide range of skills. “He performed incredibly,” Undav commented. “He managed to save shots that didn’t necessarily look saveable. His prowess isn’t limited to shot-stopping; his ability to play out from the back with such composure is simply remarkable.” Undav concluded by declaring Costa “definitely the MVP of both games.”
