As one team tries to reclaim the title, another attempts to go top 6 as Bayern Leverkusen hosts Stuttgart. Xabi Alonso and his men became invincible’s last season domestically losing a total of zero games, and in doing so also winning the title. Stuttgart on the other hand came in second place last season in an impressive showing, now they sit eight hoping to climb to at least an European spot.
Bayer Leverkusen will welcome Stuttgart to the BayArena aiming to return to winning ways. Currently third in the league with 15 points in eight matches Xabi Alonso’s team are coming off a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen where they led until a last minute equalizer. Despite a few stumbles this season Leverkusen remain solid at home with four wins and one draw in their last five home games. They’ve also been solid offensively scoring 16 times in eight matches although defensive issues persist with no clean sheets in their last nine Bundesliga outings. In their most recent outing they won 3-0 in a DFB-Pokal match against Elversberg, scoring twice in the first nine minutes with both coming from Czechoslovakian striker Schick.
Stuttgart arrives on a high after a 2-1 win over Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal and in doing so it marks their third consecutive victory in all competitions. Sitting eighth in the Bundesliga with 12 points, being only three points from Leverkusen, they have lost only once in their last eight matches even tough their away form has been inconsistent, with three losses, two draws, and two wins in their last seven road games. In the Champions League inconsistency is still plaguing Stuttgart having one win, one draw and one loss. But the victory is worth mentioning as it came against Juventus where Stuttgart scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute courtesy of El Bilal Toure ending the match 0-1. So, bouncing back excellently after their 4-0 loss to Bayern Munich on the 19th Stuttgart now aims to extend their win streak to four.
Leverkusen remain without forward Amine Adli who is sidelined until March 2025 and defender Jeanuel Belocian who is out until late November. Alonso will likely field a back three of Edmond Tapsoba, Jonathan Tah and Piero Hincapie with Victor Boniface leading the attack alongside Florian Wirtz and Martin Terrier.
Stuttgart have some absences too including Dan-Axel Zagadou who is likely out until February 2025 along with Jeff Chabot who is suspended after a recent red card. With additional doubts over Justin Diehl and Leonidas Stergiou Hoeness may deploy a backline of Josha Vagnoman, Arnie Chase, Anthony Rouault and Maximilian Mittelstadt with El Bilal Toure and Deniz Undav up front.
Bayer Leverkusen possible lineup: Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Grimaldo; Terrier, Wirtz; Boniface
Stuttgart possible lineup: Nubel; Vagnoman, Chase, Rouault, Mittelstadt; Millot, Karazor, Stiller, Leweling; Toure, Undav
