VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen prepare for another thrilling tussle
The Bundesliga's top two from last season, VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen, go head-to-head in what's set to be the latest edition in an often thrilling fixture.
Even though their first league meeting of 2024/25 ended goalless - a first for this fixture since 1998 - this weekend's match promises to be entertaining given how enjoyable the duo have generally made things of late.
Their first match-up of the 2023/24 campaign was an intense affair on the back of brilliant starts to the season, which saw Leverkusen unbeaten league leaders after 13 matches and Stuttgart just five points behind in third.
Watch: Highlights of the summer's Supercup drama
Stuttgart were determined to make the most of their home advantage against Xabi Alonso’s exciting side. It looked like they were on the way to doing just so, as Chris Führich put the home side the lead just before half-time as he tapped in from close range after brilliant work by Josha Vagnoman on the right-hand side. Despite the 1-0 scoreline at the break, there were plenty of chances for both sides to have scored more, with Führich and Deniz Undav going close for the home side and Amine Adli and Victor Boniface forcing good saves out of Alexander Nübel.
Stuttgart’s lead didn’t last long, however, as Leverkusen came flying out of the blocks in the second half, equalising within the first ten minutes. Leverkusen’s goal was reminiscent of some Stuttgart attacking moves over the season, as a good run from Boniface allowed him to square for Führich’s future Germany teammate, Florian Wirtz, who side-footed home from around 12 yards out.
Watch: Highlights of Stuttgart's thrilling draw at home to Leverkusen
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The second meeting came in the DFB Cup in February. Stuttgart scored first again, this time through captain Waldemar Anton, who headed home after just 11 minutes. Naturally, Alonso’s men piled on the pressure and almost found an instant response, but Patrik Schick’s close-range finish from a rebound was called offside.
They had to wait until the second half, but Die Werkself did eventually find the equaliser through Robert Andrich - who curled home a delightful strike from range in the 50th minute. Andrich’s work was quickly undone though, as that man Führich popped up with his second goal in two games against Leverkusen to put his side back in the driving seat.
Adli then took a leaf out of his opponents’s book, scoring the equaliser less than ten minutes later to make it three goals in 16 minutes for both sides, in what was turning out to be an enthralling cup tie which either side could win. One team did have to win it, however, and that side was Leverkusen who left it fashionably late to find the goal to send them through to the semi-final of the cup.
It was experienced centre-back Jonathan Tah who found that goal for them, heading home in the 90th minute to crush Stuttgart’s hopes of silverware last season. Despite his side’s loss, Stuttgart striker Undav was complimentary of not just his own side but also the opposition; after two brilliant games between the two sides, the on-loan forward said: “Today we saw the best two teams in Germany.”
The second Bundesliga meeting between these two sides came on Matchday 31, when Leverkusen were closing in on invincible status after already wrapping up their maiden league crown. Stuttgart had continued their incredible campaign and were still in third, five points behind Bayern.
While their seasons had panned out differently, it will have felt like deja-vu for Lukáš Hrádecký and the Leverkusen defence, as Führich finished into an empty net once again to open the scoring in the 47th minute.
Unlike their first meeting in Stuttgart, Leverkusen didn’t have a response to going a goal down. In fact, it was the away side who responded first, by adding another goal through Undav, who scored his 18th of the season for Sebastian Hoeneß’s men in the 56th minute.
Little did Undav know that this goal would provide the spark for Leverkusen’s resurgence. Adli pulled a goal back a matter of minutes later, finding the inside of the post from outside the area, which was quickly followed by an impressive double save by Nübel to deny both Jonas Hofmann and Adli.
Odilon Kossounou then thought he had found the equaliser when his deflected shot found the back of the net with 15 minutes to go, but luckily for Stuttgart, the linesman had raised his flag for offside.
There was no flag to save the Stuttgart in the dying seconds, however, when midfield general Andrich slammed home the equalising volley from close rangesix minutes into added time after the away side failed to clear the ball, providing an incredible ending to a thoroughly captivating trilogy.
Watch: Leverkusen maintain invincible status with Stuttgart draw
The Matchday 26 encounter will also be the third meeting of this season as the duo met in the Supercup to start the current campaign. Leverkusen also won that fixture, but needed penalties to do so after a tense 120 minutes of football that couldn't separate the sides. And the reigning champions will start favourites again having not lost any of their last 14 meetings and just one of their last 28 competitive games against Stuttgart.
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