Sabasports Match Preview
Bundesliga: VfB Stuttgart vs Bayer Leverkusen
Kickoff Time: 2026-05-09 21:30 (HKT)
VfB Stuttgart are level on points with their current round opponent Bayer Leverkusen, but sit fifth temporarily due to a goal difference deficit. The result of this fixture will directly determine both sides’ qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League group stage. Judging from their recent form, VfB Stuttgart have been underwhelming, registering just 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats in their last five Bundesliga matches. Their only victory came against newly-promoted Hamburg SV, and they even failed to beat Werder Bremen, a side battling against relegation, in this run. In the previous league game, first-choice defensive midfielder Atakan Karazor was sent off with a red card and will serve a suspension for this match, forcing the team to reshuffle their midfield. The club’s top scorer Deniz Undav is also far from his best, having failed to find the net in his last four league outings, and he even missed a penalty during this period. Season statistics show VfB Stuttgart stick to a possession-based style of play, with an average possession rate of 58%, ranking third highest in the league. After winning back possession, they focus on completing attack-to-defence transition within 7 seconds, threatening the opposition defence through through balls, wide-side acceleration and positional interchanges in the final third. However, the team’s overall strength drops significantly if their forwards fail to perform at their peak.
After being eliminated from the Champions League, Bayer Leverkusen quickly regained their winning momentum in the league, claiming 4 victories and 1 defeat in their last five Bundesliga fixtures. They defeated top sides including Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig during this run, making their recent form highly credible. Striker Patrik Schick has been Leverkusen’s standout performer lately, scoring 5 goals across their last two league matches. He has now netted 16 goals in the Bundesliga this campaign, putting himself firmly in contention for the league’s second-top scorer award. Under the management of former Denmark national team head coach Kasper Hjulmand, Leverkusen have adopted a fluid attacking football philosophy. They prioritize numerical superiority on the ball side, manipulate opponents with short passing combinations, then swiftly switch play to vacant spaces. The team adopt a slow tempo during the build-up phase, but once they spot gaps in the opposition defence, they launch rapid counter-attacks immediately via through balls, long passes or individual dribbles, showcasing a distinctive tempo shift from slow to fast. This tactical system of Leverkusen tends to be most effective when facing opponents desperate to pick up points.
Apart from shortcomings such as midfield reshuffles and underperforming strikers, VfB Stuttgart also hold a poor head-to-head record against Leverkusen. Statistics indicate VfB Stuttgart have not beaten Leverkusen at home since May 2010, extending their winless streak against the visitors to as many as 13 matches. At this crucial stage of the race for Champions League qualification, Leverkusen are expected to maintain their historical superiority in this fixture and claim points away from home.
VfB Stuttgart‘s Last 5 Games: DDDLW
2026-05-02: TSG Hoffenheim 3–3 VfB Stuttgart
2026-04-26: VfB Stuttgart 1–1 Werder Bremen
2026-04-24: VfB Stuttgart 1–1 SC Freiburg (OT: 1–0)
2026-04-19: Bayern Munich 4–2 VfB Stuttgart
2026-04-12: VfB Stuttgart 4–0 Hamburg SV
Leverkusen‘s Last 5 Games: WWLLW
2026-05-03: Leverkusen 4–1 RB Leipzig
2026-04-25: FC Cologne 1–2 Leverkusen
2026-04-23: Leverkusen 0–2 Bayern Munich
2026-04-18: Leverkusen 1–2 FC Augsburg
2026-04-11: Borussia Dortmund 0–1 Leverkusen
Head-to-head record
2026-01-11: Leverkusen 1–4 VfB Stuttgart
2025-03-17: VfB Stuttgart 3–4 Leverkusen
2024-11-02: Leverkusen 0–0 VfB Stuttgart
2024-08-18: Leverkusen 2–2 VfB Stuttgart (penalties 4–3)
2024-04-28: Leverkusen 2–2 VfB Stuttgart
Prediction: Leverkusen draw, or an away win