Bayer Leverkusen will be desperate to reignite their Bundesliga title hopes when they face Stuttgart at MHPArena on Sunday. Xabi Alonso’s men, currently second with 53 points, trail league leaders Bayern Munich by eight points. Meanwhile, Stuttgart, sitting eighth with 37 points, are eyeing a top-four finish and a potential Champions League spot.
Stuttgart enter this fixture on a poor run of form, having failed to win in their last four games and losing four of their previous five home matches. Despite managing a 0-0 draw against Leverkusen in November, Sebastian Hoeness’ side has struggled defensively, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last seven Bundesliga outings. The absence of suspended centre-back Leonidas Stergiou and injured Dan-Axel Zagadou further weakens their backline.
Leverkusen, on the other hand, are reeling from three consecutive defeats, including a 2-0 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich that sealed their exit from the competition. The attacking duo of Amine Adli and Patrik Schick failed to capitalize on key chances against Werder Bremen last week, and Leverkusen’s lack of goals has become a growing concern, with the team failing to score in their last three games.
Despite their struggles, Leverkusen possess quality in midfield with Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich controlling the tempo. In the absence of Florian Wirtz and Nathan Tella, Aleix Garcia and Amine Adli are expected to provide creativity, while Patrik Schick leads the attack. Defensively, Jonathan Tah, Nordi Mukiele, and Piero Hincapie will form a solid back three.
Stuttgart will rely on Deniz Undav and Nick Woltemade for goals, while midfielders Angelo Stiller and Atakan Karazor will look to disrupt Leverkusen’s rhythm. However, their leaky defense and lack of confidence at home make them vulnerable against a Leverkusen side eager to bounce back.
Leverkusen’s recent away form has been inconsistent, with two wins, two draws, and two losses in their last six matches. However, given Stuttgart’s struggles at MHPArena and Leverkusen’s superior quality in midfield, Alonso’s men are expected to edge this encounter.
With key players like Schick and Adli needing to step up in the final third, Leverkusen should have just enough firepower to claim a narrow victory and keep their slim title hopes alive.
Prediction: Stuttgart 1-2 Bayer Leverkusen