Overview
Only 4 points are separating the home team from Eintracht Frankfurt (ranked seventh), while the gap between them and Dortmund (ranked second) is only 3 points. With such a close difference, the top 4 Bundesliga race is likely to be tense until the final rounds.
In the middle of the season, Leverkusen is exactly 3 points behind their 2024-2025 season record. They have scored 4 goals less (33) but also conceded less than one goal (20), showing a certain adjustment between attacking efficiency and defensive certainty.
Under the guidance of coach Kasper Hjulmand, Leverkusen entered this weekend with a 3-match unbeaten streak and aiming for a third consecutive victory. Die Schwarzroten has scored 7 goals in the last 3 matches, although they have only kept a clean sheet once in the last 5 matches in the Bundesliga.
At home, Leverkusen generally has a relatively solid foothold at BayArena. They won all 3 points in 5/8 matches played this season and only lost 2 matches, a foundation enough to maintain their goal in the leading group.
In the opposite direction, Stuttgart entered the next match after drawing with Hoffenheim (currently ranked fifth) 0-0 on December 20, marking the fourth time in the last 5 Bundesliga matches they have failed to win.
In that 5-match period, Die Roten lost two, scored 8 goals but conceded 10 goals. However, the positive point is that they have had two consecutive clean sheets - a signal that the defense is gradually stabilizing again.
Coach Sebastian Hoeness hopes to end the unbeaten streak against Leverkusen lasting from April 2018, the period Stuttgart lost 9 and drew 6 against this opponent.
In terms of away form, Stuttgart is possessing encouraging numbers again. They have won 3/4 of their most recent away matches and in fact have only lost 1/5 of their recent away matches.
Personnel situation
Leverkusen will face a significant personnel problem on the attacking front this weekend. Eliesse Ben Seghir (left winger), Ibrahim Maza (midfielder) and 19-year-old striker Christian Kofane are all absent due to participating in the African Cup, while the possibility of right winger Ernest Poku playing is still uncertain.
In that context, Jonas Hofmann and Malik Tillman are likely to play behind Patrik Schick. In midfield, Robert Andrich and Aleix Garcia are expected to play important roles, as Exequiel Palacios is in the process of recovering from a groin injury.
The three-man defense may be arranged with Jarrell Quansah, Loic Bade and Jeanuel Belocian, supported by two wing-backs Arthur and Alejandro Grimaldo.
On the Stuttgart side, the absence list is also quite long, especially in the defense. Three central defenders Dan-Axel Zagadou, Finn Jeltsch and Luca Jaquez are all injured, and Ameen Al Dakhil is sick, so the possibility of playing is still a question mark.
In attack, Bilal El Khannouss was absent, Noah Darvich was absent due to muscle injury, Lazar Jovanovic had back problems, and striker Jovan Milosevic broke his arm.
To replenish the force, Sebastian Hoeness can use Tiago Tomas, Jamie Leweling and Nikolas Nartey to support spearhead Deniz Undav in this match.
Expected lineup:
Bayer Leverkusen: Flekken, Quansah, Bade, Belocian, Arthur, Andrich, Garcia, Grimaldo, Hofmann, Tillman, Schick.
Nubel, Vagnoman, Hendriks, Chabot, Mittelstadt, Karazor, Stiller, Tomas, Nartey, Leweling, Undav.
The match between Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart takes place at 0:30 AM on January 11 (Vietnam time).
