VfB Stuttgart vs Bayer Leverkusen preview: Visitors desperate to end losing streak

VfB Stuttgart

Eighth-placed Stuttgart remain in the hunt for a Champions League spot as they welcome second-placed Bayer Leverkusen to MHPArena on Sunday.

With 37 points, Die Schwaben sit five behind fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, but their recent form raises concerns. Sebastian Hoeneß’s side are winless in four Bundesliga matches, suffering two defeats, and they have managed just one victory in their last seven league outings (four losses, two draws).

Despite showing resilience in their 2-2 draw against Holstein Kiel on March 8, equalising swiftly after going down to 10 men, Stuttgart’s defensive struggles persist. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven Bundesliga games.

Historically, Stuttgart have struggled against Leverkusen, winning just one of their last 28 encounters. However, they managed a goalless draw in the reverse fixture on November 1.

Their home form is more worrying, with four defeats in their last five Bundesliga matches at MHPArena, including three consecutive losses, suggesting that Stuttgart face an uphill battle on Sunday.

Team News

Leonidas Stergiou is suspended following his red card against Holstein Kiel, while Dan-Axel Zagadou is sidelined until May.

Hoeneß may turn to Finn Jeltsch and Julian Chabot in central defence ahead of goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.

Angelo Stiller and Atakan Karazor are likely to form the midfield pivot, while Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade could lead the line in attack.

Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen must win to keep their faint Bundesliga title hopes alive after falling eight points behind leaders Bayern München following a 2-0 loss to Werder Bremen on March 8.

Xabi Alonso’s men were also eliminated from the Champions League after a 5-0 aggregate defeat to Bayern, suffering another 2-0 loss in Wednesday’s second leg.

Leverkusen have now lost three consecutive matches, two against Bayern, a streak they have not endured since August 2022. Their attacking struggles are apparent, having failed to score in their last three matches while also drawing blanks in two of their prior four.

Their recent away form is underwhelming, with two wins, two draws, and two losses from their last six games across all competitions.

However, Die Werkself dominated possession in their defeat to Bremen, seeing 73% of the ball. They might have found more success had Emiliano Buendía and Amine Adli converted key chances.

With just nine Bundesliga matches left, the DFB-Pokal now appears Alonso’s best chance at silverware.

Team News

Leverkusen’s defensive concerns deepen as centre-backs Mario Hermoso and Edmond Tapsoba are ruled out. This means Nordi Mukiele, Jonathan Tah, and Piero Hincapié are expected to form a back three.

In attack, talisman Florian Wirtz is sidelined alongside Martin Terrier and Nathan Tella, forcing Alonso to turn to Amine Adli, Aleix García, and Patrik Schick in the final third.

Granit Xhaka is certain to feature in midfield, likely alongside Robert Andrich in a double pivot.