Leverkusen Aims to Close Gap on Bayern Amid Bundesliga Showdowns

STUTTGART, Germany — Bayer Leverkusen will try to decrease its deficit in the Bundesliga title race Sunday when it faces VfB Stuttgart, following Bayern Munich‘s recent draw against Union Berlin. With just one point separating the two teams, a victory for Leverkusen would close the gap to six points behind the league leaders.

The matchup marks the conclusion of the 26th game day of the Bundesliga. Leverkusen, under the management of Xabi Alonso, is motivated after Bayern slipped, settling for a 1-1 draw against a struggling Union Berlin on Saturday.

“We have to take advantage of this moment,” Alonso stated. “Every point counts, and this is a great opportunity for us to position ourselves even closer to the top.”

Leverkusen, currently ranked second, is looking to bounce back after three consecutive losses in all competitions, including a Champions League exit against Bayern. Stuttgart, on the other hand, has found themselves in a challenging situation, having secured only one win in their last seven league matches.

Statistics: This will be the 93rd competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Bayer holding a record of 44 wins, while Stuttgart has 23 victories, alongside 25 draws. Stuttgart has not won at home against Leverkusen in 12 matches spanning almost 15 years.

Personnel Updates: Stuttgart will be without defender Stergiou, who is serving a red-card suspension. However, the rest of their defensive lineup appears stable. For Leverkusen, they will miss key players such as Wirtz, Tella, Tapsoba, and Hermoso due to injuries.

Coaching Notes: Notably, Alonso has not lost to Stuttgart in any capacity—neither as a player nor as a coach. Conversely, Stuttgart’s coach Hoeneß is seeking his first victory over Leverkusen.

This crucial afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Arena is expected to impact both teams significantly as the Bundesliga race intensifies. A win could reignite Leverkusen’s hopes of challenging Bayern for the championship, while Stuttgart desperately seeks to break free from the lower half of the table.