Surge-Coach Neuman warns: "We need to play smarter"

Stuttgart Surge earned an important playoff victory last Sunday, defeating the Madrid Bravos in the opening round of the 2025 European League of Football playoffs.

The key to neutralizing the league's top-ranked offense, led by record-setting duo Reid Sinnett and Aron Cruickshank, was a standout defensive performance. Head Coach Jordan Neuman acknowledged its importance after the game: "We controlled Madrid very well. Our defense did an excellent job, and Coach Pastorino and Coach Brenner did a great job with their unit."

The defensive line applied nonstop pressure on Sinnett, sacking him four times - an impressive achievement, given he was sacked only eight times in 12 regular-season matches. "It was important today that our defensive line functioned well, which was evident throughout the game," Neuman said.

Watch the Madrid Bravos at Stuttgart Surge highlights here!

Slow start and penalties - areas to improve

The head coach was not fully happy with the offensive performance. The Surge put 21 points on the board by halftime, but all of them came within the final five minutes of the second quarter. In the second half, however, the unit found its footing again. "We weren't satisfied with our offense during the first two drives because we started too slowly. After that, though, we found our rhythm and controlled the game for a long time," Neuman explained.

Penalties kept interrupting the team's flow throughout the contest. Flags repeatedly nullified positive plays, and as the game grew more heated, on-field confrontations and arguments contributed to the flags. Although the penalties had no impact on the result this time, Neuman stressed the need for discipline ahead of the Semi Final: "We need to play smarter and stay more relaxed. We had too many penalties and got too emotional. We need to work on that."

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Stuttgart take on Munich in Semi Final

With the win, the Surge remain in contention to reach the Championship Game, which will take place in their home city of Stuttgart. Standing in their way are the Munich Ravens, who remain unbeaten at home this season and will aim to protect their strong record while securing a spot in the final themselves. "Now, we're up against Munich. They're our rivals - we know them well," Neuman said. The rivalry between the two southern German teams promises to make this one of the most exciting games of the season. After the physically demanding last game, Neuman added: "The short trip will also do us good."

The Semi Final between Stuttgart Surge and the Munich Ravens is scheduled for Sunday, August 31st, at 15:00 CET at Sportpark Unterhaching. The winner will advance to the ELF Championship Game on September 7.

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