Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart 

BayArena sets the stage for a mouth-watering Bundesliga showdown between Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart.

Bayer Leverkusen’s stuttering Bundesliga title defense took another hit last weekend as they conceded late in a 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen, losing further ground on leaders Bayern Munich. Xabi Alonso’s men have accrued seven points fewer than they had at this juncture when they won the league last term (W4, D3, L1), largely thanks to their habit of throwing away a lead. Indeed, ‘Die Werkself’ have failed to take three points in four such matches this season already (D3, L1)! Indeed, they’ve let a 2-0 home cushion slip through their grasp twice in the Bundesliga this term (D1, L1). However, the hosts can draw heart from not losing a league encounter against Stuttgart since April 2018.

Since that narrow 1-0 triumph on this ground, the visitors have gone winless in ten consecutive top-flight H2Hs (D3, L7), while that also remains their only win from their last 13 Bundesliga visits to the BayArena (D2, L10). Stuttgart head into this round languishing in eight after beating Holstein Kiel 2-1 to arrest a three-game winless league run (D2, L1), meaning they’ve only won once in their last three encounters after breaking the deadlock. Worryingly, both Stuttgart’s Bundesliga defeats this season came away from home, with a 4-0 demolition at the hands of Bayern Munich last time out ending their 11-game scoring run in away league action (W7, D2, L3).