Demirović hat-trick fires Stuttgart past Viking

Ermedin Demirović scored three times inside 32 minutes as Stuttgart raced into a 3-1 lead over Viking on the opening matchday of the Champions League, the fifth-fastest hat-trick in the competition's history.

The Bosnian striker opened the scoring on 20 minutes. Viking, playing in the league phase for the first time, equalised within two minutes through Zlatko Tripić, the winger who has been at the Norwegian club since July 2022 and now has nine goals for the side.

Viking's goal through Tripić was the club's first ever in the Champions League proper; they are only the second Norwegian side, after Bodø/Glimt, to reach the league phase.

Barcelona and Feyenoord kicked off at the same time, with goals already on the board there as well.

A win at this pace would give Stuttgart a strong start to their campaign, though Viking's response through Tripić showed they are not there simply to make up the numbers.