Ermedin Demirovic Scores 12-Minute Hat-Trick as Stuttgart Beat Viking 3-1 in Champions League Opener

Ermedin Demirović scored a 12-minute first-half hat-trick on September 9, 2026, as VfB Stuttgart opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Norwegian debutants Viking FK at the MHP Arena. The Bosnian striker found the net in the 20th, 26th, and 32nd minutes to become the first Stuttgart player ever to score a Champions League hat-trick, completing what ESPN reported as the fifth-fastest hat-trick in Champions League history.

The 28-year-old’s devastating burst of finishing settled a contest that briefly threatened to become uncomfortable for the hosts when Zlatko Tripić equalized for Viking just two minutes after Demirović’s opener. But two further goals in the space of six minutes put the result beyond doubt before half-time, allowing Stuttgart to cruise through the second period.

Demirović Strikes Three Times in 12 First-Half Minutes

Stuttgart dominated possession from the start, but Viking held firm until the 20th minute. Angelo Stiller, Stuttgart’s midfield orchestrator, delivered a sharp cut-back from the right flank, and Demirović lashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range to give the hosts the lead.

The advantage lasted just 120 seconds. Viking, playing in the Champions League for the first time in their history, responded immediately through Tripić, who finished clinically from Edvin Bjørdal’s assist in the 22nd minute to level the score at 1-1. The MHP Arena fell momentarily silent as the Norwegian champions celebrated their historic first Champions League goal.

But Demirović was in no mood to let the occasion slip. In the 26th minute, Deniz Undav threaded a pass through Viking’s defensive line, and Demirović controlled it before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper to restore Stuttgart’s lead at 2-1. Six minutes later, in the 32nd minute, Undav was the provider again, and Demirović collected an awkward ball before firing home to complete his hat-trick and give Stuttgart a commanding 3-1 advantage.

The second half produced no further goals, with Stuttgart content to manage the game and Viking unable to conjure another moment of magic. Demirović was substituted in the 62nd minute to a standing ovation from the home supporters, his work emphatically done.

Goal-by-Goal Timeline of the Match

“A Day I Will Never Forget in My Life”

Speaking after the match, Demirović could barely contain his emotions. “This is a day I will never forget in my life,” the striker told Sky Germany in his post-match interview. “For me, it was obviously a perfect start. For us as a team, too. We could have played even better. But as a team, we can be proud that we clearly beat our opponent.”

The Bosnia-Herzegovina international also acknowledged the connection with strike partner Deniz Undav, who provided two of the three assists. The pair have developed a productive partnership at Stuttgart, and Wednesday’s performance was the most striking illustration yet of their chemistry at the highest level.

Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeneß was equally effusive in his praise. “It was an evening he will never forget,” Hoeneß said, according to the Bundesliga’s official match report. The manager highlighted Demirović’s composure in front of goal and the team’s ability to respond immediately after Viking’s equalizer.

A Historic Night for Stuttgart in Europe

Demirović’s treble was the first hat-trick by a Stuttgart player in the Champions League, according to multiple reports from the Bundesliga and ESPN. The club has a sporadic European history compared to German rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, making the achievement all the more significant for Stuttgart’s supporters, who have waited decades for such a night.

The hat-trick was also recorded as the fifth-fastest in Champions League history, completed in approximately 31 minutes and 21 seconds of match time from his first goal to his third. That places Demirović alongside some of the competition’s most explosive scorers in the record books.

Stuttgart’s return to the Champions League has been a gradual rebuild under Hoeneß. The club qualified by finishing in the Bundesliga’s top four, capping a resurgence that began when the team was promoted back to the top flight in 2020. Their previous Champions League campaign came in the 2009-10 season, when they were eliminated in the last 16 by Barcelona.

Who Is Ermedin Demirović? From Hamburg Youth to Champions League History

Ermedin Demirović was born on March 25, 1998, in Hamburg, Germany, to Bosnian parents. He grew up in the city and developed through the youth academy at Hamburger SV, one of the Bundesliga’s most storied clubs, though he never made a senior appearance for Hamburg’s first team.

His early professional career was defined by a series of moves across European leagues. He played for Spanish club Deportivo Alavés, French side FC Sochaux, and Swiss club FC St. Gallen, gaining experience in different football cultures and steadily improving his goal-scoring output. It was during his time at SC Freiburg, the well-regarded Bundesliga club known for developing talent, that Demirović first established himself in German top-flight football.

A move to FC Augsburg followed, where Demirović continued to score regularly in the Bundesliga and attracted attention from larger clubs. In July 2024, VfB Stuttgart secured his signature for a reported transfer fee of approximately €21 million, making him one of the club’s most significant signings in recent years. He quickly became a central figure in Hoeneß’s attack.

At international level, Demirović represents Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite being born and raised in Germany, he chose to play for the country of his parents’ heritage, becoming a regular in the Bosnian national team setup.

Demirović’s Stuttgart Record: Goals and Trajectory

Since joining Stuttgart in the summer of 2024, Demirović has been a prolific presence. In the 2024-25 Bundesliga season, he scored 15 goals in 34 league appearances, establishing himself as the team’s primary striker. Across all competitions that season, he recorded 17 goals in 49 appearances.

His form carried into the 2025-26 campaign, where he added 12 Bundesliga goals in 25 appearances before the current 2026-27 season began. Including the hat-trick against Viking, his overall Stuttgart career record stands at over 90 appearances with more than 30 goals across all competitions, according to stats compiled by Flashscore and the Bundesliga’s official records.

Demirović’s goal record places him among Stuttgart’s most productive signings in recent memory. His combination of aerial ability, movement inside the penalty area, and clinical finishing has made him the focal point of a Stuttgart attack that also includes the creative talents of Undav and Stiller.

Viking FK’s Historic Champions League Debut

For Viking FK, the evening in Stuttgart was both a milestone and a harsh lesson. The club from Stavanger, on Norway’s southwestern coast, was making its first-ever appearance in the Champions League proper. Viking qualified as Norwegian champions, navigating the qualifying rounds to reach the league phase — a remarkable achievement for a club with limited resources compared to Europe’s elite.

Tripić’s equalizer in the 22nd minute gave Viking a brief taste of what competing at this level could feel like. For approximately four minutes, the Norwegian champions stood level with their Bundesliga opponents in a Champions League match. But Demirović’s response was swift and merciless, and the reality of the gulf in quality became apparent.

Despite the defeat, Viking’s players and coaching staff can take pride in their campaign reaching this stage. The club’s presence in the Champions League is a testament to the growing competitiveness of Scandinavian football and the strength of Norway’s domestic league, the Eliteserien.

Champions League Matchday 1: How the Rest of the Results Unfolded

Stuttgart’s victory was one of several notable results across the opening night of the 2026-27 Champions League league phase on September 9. Real Madrid edged Inter Milan 2-1 at the Bernabéu, with Kylian Mbappé and Federico Valverde on the scoresheet. Barcelona dismantled Feyenoord 5-1 at Camp Nou with Raphinha scoring twice, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atlético Madrid 2-1 at Anfield through Alexis Mac Allister‘s winner.

Elsewhere, PSG hammered Slovan Bratislava 6-1, Arsenal ground out a 1-0 win at Napoli thanks to Martin Ødegaard‘s goal, and Borussia Dortmund survived a late scare to beat Villarreal 3-2 at Signal Iduna Park, with Serhou Guirassy scoring a brace. Manchester City beat Porto 2-0 courtesy of an Erling Haaland double, while Sporting CP defeated Galatasaray 3-1 and Aston Villa edged Club Brugge 3-2 in an away thriller.

But no individual performance across the entire matchday matched Demirović’s explosive 12-minute burst of scoring. His hat-trick was the first of the 2026-27 Champions League season, setting a standard that the competition’s other strikers will now chase.

The Undav-Demirović Partnership: Stuttgart’s Attack in Full Flow

One of the most telling aspects of Demirović’s hat-trick was the role played by Deniz Undav. The German forward, who has himself been a consistent goal threat for Stuttgart, provided the assists for both the second and third goals, displaying the kind of selfless, instinctive link-up play that defines the most dangerous attacking partnerships in European football.

Undav’s first assist, for the 26th-minute goal, was a precisely weighted through ball that sliced through Viking’s defensive line. His second, six minutes later, was equally well-timed, putting Demirović in position to complete his hat-trick. Angelo Stiller, Stuttgart’s deep-lying midfielder, had started the scoring sequence with the cut-back assist for the opening goal, highlighting the collective quality of Stuttgart’s attacking play.

Under Hoeneß, Stuttgart have built an attack-minded team that plays with intensity and creativity. The Undav-Demirović partnership has been central to that identity, and Wednesday’s performance showed that it can function at the Champions League level.

What This Means for Stuttgart’s Champions League Campaign

Stuttgart’s comprehensive victory gives them three points from their opening fixture in the league phase, placing them among the early leaders on goal difference. In the new 36-team Swiss-model format, where every point and every goal counts toward qualification for the knockout rounds, a strong start is essential.

The challenge will intensify in the coming matchdays. Stuttgart’s schedule includes fixtures against significantly tougher opponents, and Hoeneß will need Demirović to maintain this level of performance against more organized and experienced defenses. But with confidence surging through the squad after a night like this, the Bundesliga club has laid down a marker.

Demirović’s hat-trick also sends a message to the Ballon d’Or conversation and the broader European football landscape. While he was not among the 30 nominees announced earlier this week, a sustained Champions League scoring run could put his name into contention for future individual honors.

For now, though, the focus remains on Stuttgart’s collective ambitions. “We can be proud that we clearly beat our opponent,” Demirović said. If the rest of the campaign matches the intensity and clinical finishing of this opening night, Stuttgart’s return to European football’s top table could be far more than a brief visit.

Sources

• what ESPN reported as the fifth-fastest hat-trick in Champions League history — africa.espn.com
• Ermedin Demirović gives VfB Stuttgart selection headache with historic UEFA Champions League hat-trick — bundesliga.com
• Stuttgart’s Demirović scores first hat trick of Champions … — beaumontenterprise.com
• Stuttgart see off Champions League debutants Viking — bbc.com
• Demirovic hat-trick fires Stuttgart to historic Champions League opening win — english.news.cn