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VfB Stuttgart – Bayer Leverkusen
Two Sunday matches are scheduled for the 32nd matchday of the Bundesliga. The first match on this day is between VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen. In Swabia, the stakes are still extremely high for both teams. For the visitors from the Rhineland, qualification for Europe is once again at stake in the last three games. The Werkself currently occupies sixth place in the table with 48 points and has a two-point lead over VfL Wolfsburg among them. On Thursday, however, Bayer 04 did not tank self-confidence for the duel with VfB on Sunday. The Werkself lost there in the semifinals of the Europa League against AS Rome with 0:1.
On the other hand, the fans of the Swabians are currently experiencing déjà vu. At the moment, VfB has an identical ranking as in the previous season. After 31 match days, Stuttgart also occupied 16th place back then. With six wins, ten draws and 15 defeats, the record is also completely identical to the previous year. Back then, Stuttgart only avoided the drop into the 2nd Bundesliga in the very last second of the final matchday.
In the previous week, however, VfB had the chance to make its starting position for the last three match days much more pleasant. Stuttgart played the last team from Berlin and had several chances to win the game. However, the Swabians lost 1:2 and are now two points behind the last four teams. Whether the VfB will succeed on Sunday an important three, you can find out in our Stuttgart against Leverkusen tip.
Stuttgart – Leverkusen info:
- Date & Time: 14.05.2023, 15:30 hrs.
- Game venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 32.
- TV broadcast: DAZN
Stuttgart form & balance check
VfB Stuttgart are once again in fear of staying in the Bundesliga this season. A weak start to the season with nine games without a win eventually led to the dismissal of coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. Interim coach Michael Wimmer initially stabilized the team. But after the winter break, Bruno Labbadia took over as coach before he had to leave again after a defeat against Union Berlin.
Now Sebastian Hoeneß is on the sidelines and led VfB directly to the semifinals of the DFB Cup, where the Swabians were eliminated by Frankfurt. In the relegation battle, Stuttgart also missed out on an important three points last week when VfB lost 3-2 in Berlin, dropping to 16th in the table.
Flanks in focus
Coach Sebastian Hoeneß continues to rely on a three-man chain with two offensive track players. Josha Vagnoman has since looked a different player on the right side, scoring two goals and setting up three others in the last seven competitive games. And his counterpart on the left, Borna Sosa, also feels extremely comfortable in this position.
The Croatian impresses above all with his strong left foot. This season, Sosa has already sent 111 crosses into the middle, the most in the entire Bundesliga. However, defending crosses is apparently not Stuttgart’s strong point. The Swabians have fallen behind a remarkable six times in their past ten Bundesliga games, and always after a cross from the run of play.
Stuttgart facts & analysis
- Sebastian Hoeneß still without a home defeat in the Bundesliga.
- The fourth weakest offense in the league
- Just three points ahead of bottom of the table Hertha
Leverkusen form & balance check
The current season is extremely dynamic for Bayer 04 Leverkusen under the leadership of coach Xabi Alonso. Previously, under the leadership of Gerardo Seoane, the team had a surprisingly poor start and was only in 17th place in the league after eight match days. But under Alonso, the team steadily improved and worked its way up the table.
In recent days, however, Bayer’s impressive run of 14 competitive games without defeat came to an abrupt end. First of all, Leverkusen lost 2-1 to Cologne in the league last Friday and thus had to put dreams of qualifying for the Champions League again via the league to rest. And also on Thursday the Werkself suffered a 0:1 defeat in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League.
High stakes
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is currently demonstrating a mature system under the tactical direction of coach Xabi Alonso. The Werkself relies on an offensive counter-attacking strategy to exploit the pace of its attackers and thus regularly create highly dangerous scoring chances. With a total of 54 goals, Leverkusen has the fourth best offensive performance in the Bundesliga this season.
Jeremie Frimpong on the right rail even has the most sprints in the entire Bundesliga. However, Leverkusen’s style of play is clearly draining the players’ strength. Some players are now running on fumes at the end of the season. The encounter with Stuttgart is already the 46th game of the season for the Werkself.
Leverkusen facts & analysis
- 3 competitive games without a win.
- In sixth place in the league
- In the semi-finals of the Europa League
Predicted lineup – last update on May 12, 2023
Stuttgart will once again unpack the three-man backline against Leverkusen. However, VfB will once again have to do without Konstantinos Mavropanos, who picked up an injury in the cup. Fortunately, however, the team can count on the return of Atakan Karazor, who has served his yellow suspension.
For Leverkusen, the important second leg in the Europa League against AS Roma is coming up next Thursday. Therefore, we think that Xabi Alonso will rotate in some positions. In addition, Odilon Kossounou injured himself on Thursday in Rome.
Stuttgart – Leverkusen direct comparison & statistics
There have already been 86 duels between Leverkusen and Stuttgart. The Werkself has a clear superiority with 43 wins, while VfB could only decide 23 games for themselves. In 20 games there was no winner. In addition, Stuttgart has not won against Leverkusen in eight competitive games. In the first leg, the Werkself kept the upper hand with a 2-0 win.
- Both teams are separated by 20 points in the league.
- The last home win for Stuttgart against Leverkusen was on 04/17/2010.
- Did you know that Stuttgart scores 31% of their goals between the 76-90 minute?
- Leverkusen have failed to score in 6 of their 15 away games this season in the Bundesliga
