Sebastian Hoeneß: We Know Bayern's Capabilities, But We Are Confident

Stuttgart's senior coach Sebastian Hoeneß shared his expectations ahead of the German Cup final against Bayern Munich on May 23, 2026.

"We'll need an exceptional game. That's what we're aiming for. We need exactly what's always needed when playing against Bayern. We've tasted victory before—it was mentioned by Atakan Karazor last year, and it was felt again when we qualified for the final quite easily. We have the best opportunities in a match against one of the strongest teams in Europe," Hoeneß stated.

Confidence and Experience

"We have managed to position ourselves well: we secured a Champions League spot in the Bundesliga, we have not lost a match in the Cup, and we are playing in the final for the second consecutive year. In the semi-final against Freiburg (2-1), we showed character. The pressure in the survival playoffs three years ago was different from what it will be tomorrow. But even then, we started playing football under high pressure and drew lessons from it," he added.

The Stuttgart coach expressed confidence despite Bayern's class: "We are aware of the team we face, but we are very confident in ourselves because we enjoy such matches, and they bring us satisfaction. This is embedded in us and we will take it into tomorrow's match. We want to approach every situation boldly and create moments. We will have to overcome difficult moments as well. Even PSG at times faced pressure and showed what it means to stand firm. It is in such moments that you must be able to give your all. Tomorrow, we will have to work very hard for such moments—in the best sense of the word," Hoeneß said.

A Special Match

"My history with the club (the specialist worked in Bayern before, and his uncle is the club legend Uli Hoeneß) probably makes this match special. But we are playing against a team that has impressively dominated football in the last few decades. This is a special motivation, and I am looking forward to it!" Sebastian Hoeneß concluded.