VfB Stuttgart has surged into a prime position for Champions League qualification with a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
On the penultimate matchday, coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s squad moved ahead of direct rivals, now standing just one step away from securing a spot in the prestigious tournament. This crucial win came after a deserved triumph against Bayer Leverkusen.
Ermedin Demirovic (5th minute), Maximilian Mittelstädt (45+7′ penalty), and Deniz Undav (58th minute) were the goalscorers, delivering a vital three points after a streak of three winless league matches. With this result, Hoeneß’s team now sits above the equally ranked TSG Hoffenheim on goal difference heading into the final matchday against Eintracht Frankfurt.
In contrast, Leverkusen, who had taken an early lead through Aleix García (1st minute), now trail their competitors by three points. They risk missing out on their third consecutive Champions League appearance, a key objective for their season.
Both teams were acutely aware of the high stakes in the race for the lucrative Champions League. «A lot is at stake,» stated VfB coach Hoeneß, who had to manage without his captain, Atakan Karazor, due to suspension. He urged the fans, «We have to make something really special happen together.»
The appeal was heard not only by the 60,000 spectators in the sold-out Stuttgart Arena but also by the Leverkusen squad, who had to make a late change with Nathan Tella unavailable due to muscular issues. Following a loss of possession by VfB defender Ramon Hendriks in the center circle, Bayer launched a swift counter-attack into an outnumbered VfB defense, with García finding the net after just 36 seconds to put them ahead.
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Was this a shock for VfB? Not at all. Demirovic provided the perfect response just five minutes later, coolly slotting the ball into the bottom left corner after a quick one-two with Nikolas Nartey. The Bosnian striker remained a constant threat throughout the match, with Leverkusen struggling to contain him as he repeatedly created dangerous scoring opportunities.
Demirovic was denied by Edmond Tapsoba, who cleared the ball off the line (24th minute), and by Bayer goalkeeper Mark Flekken (43rd minute), or was off-target with his own attempts (31st, 45th minutes). In first-half stoppage time, Tapsoba, who had previously fouled Angelo Stiller in the penalty area (19th minute), tripped the 28-year-old. Mittelstädt confidently converted the resulting penalty, awarded after a VAR review, into the center of the goal.
The second half also started at a rapid pace. Once again, the ball found the net within a minute, but an offside call against Undav ultimately disallowed Demirovic’s second goal. Nevertheless, Stuttgart maintained clear dominance. Mittelstädt (54th minute) was thwarted by a sliding Jarell Quansah, and Jeff Chabot (56th minute) by Flekken. The third goal for VfB, scored by Undav, was well-deserved. This marked the 19th league goal of the season for the national team player, a personal best for him.