The 2001-02 campaign was a season of pivotal transition for VfB Stuttgart, with Die Schwaben securing a respectable 8th-place finish in the Bundesliga under the newly-arrived Felix Magath, which earned them a spot in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Leading the charge was the clinical Romanian striker Ionel Ganea, whose 10 goals were vital in a campaign built on developing young talent like Kevin Kurányi and the experienced spine of the team, setting the stage for the club's successful push to the top in the seasons that followed.