Dženan Pejčinović scored a hat-trick on his VfB Stuttgart debut, helping them to a 4-0 DFB Cup win at Hansa Rostock and giving Sebastian Hoeneß exactly the kind of start he wanted from the summer signing. The 21-year-old arrived from VfL Wolfsburg over the summer, and the early return was hard to miss.
Hoeneß summed it up after the game: “That was a dream start. We battled to sign him. It's fun to have him.” Pejčinović, though, was quick to keep the focus on the work still ahead of him.
Stuttgart's summer move
Pejčinović did not arrive at Stuttgart from nowhere. He had finished last season with eight Bundesliga goals for Wolfsburg, where he was joint top-scorer alongside Mohamed Amoura. That gives the debut a bit more weight, because the club are not just reacting to one flashy afternoon.
The move also fits the level Stuttgart have reached. They finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, so a young striker who can contribute immediately is exactly the sort of addition that helps them manage a busy year.
Pejčinović's next test
Friday brings a different setting. Pejčinović returns to Munich to face the club he played for as a boy, which adds a personal edge to his first weeks in Stuttgart.
His own words still point to the right attitude for a forward trying to win over a new club: “It's also important to me that I work for the team, that I do my part for the success. I think I managed that quite well today.” The debut was strong, but the standard now is simple enough, and Stuttgart's next league game will show whether he can build on it.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
