The game between Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart was surprisingly unspectacular this time. The draw is a disappointment, especially for the superior hosts.

In a top game of missed opportunities, Bayer Leverkusen have to accept another setback in the fight for the top of the table. After the late 2-2 draw in Bremen a week ago, the German football champions once again missed out on a Bundesliga win despite their clear superiority in the 0-0 draw against runners-up VfB Stuttgart.

While Leverkusen could even slip from third place over the course of the weekend, the Swabians are in danger of slipping into the middle of the table. Nevertheless, the guests can count the point in the Rhineland as a win, even though they have now gone 14 competitive games without a win against Leverkusen.

A lot of goals, last-minute decisions, sending offs: when the two teams met in the recent past, there was almost nothing that didn’t happen, except boredom. This time, the signs were somewhat different. Bayer and VfB continue to pursue their fundamentally offensive game idea, but in view of the surprising defensive weaknesses this season, they initially sought to achieve stability.

15 goals had been conceded by Leverkusen in advance, Stuttgart had conceded as many as 16 – so the game started in a controlled manner on Friday evening. Leverkusen dominated from the outset and had good chances through Jeremie Frimpong (12th minute) and Alejandro Grimaldo (14th minute), but Alexander Nübel made two strong saves. Otherwise, neither defense conceded much initially.

Surprising change from Alonso

Somewhat surprisingly, Bayer coach Alonso had switched to a back four. Nordi Mukiele moved into the starting lineup, allowing Grimaldo and Frimpong to play even more offensively on the flanks. However, VfB failed to get into the game mainly because Bayer deliberately tried to take Atakan Karazor and Angelo Stiller out of the game.

Both hardly got a look-in, as they were repeatedly intercepted by Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich. Stuttgart hardly created any chances and were lucky not to fall behind. Edmond Tapsoba (41′) and Victor Boniface (45’+1) had further good chances with headers.

The visitors, on the other hand, hardly created anything in offense. VfB only attracted attention when individual mistakes were made. In particular, the young Anrie Chase, who was standing in for the suspended defensive leader Jeff Chabot, made a few bad passes when building up play. Shortly after the break, the 20-year-old set up a great chance for Leverkusen, but Boniface (54′) only hit the post.

The big chance was, so to speak, the introduction to a much more exciting final phase. First, Deniz Undav (62nd) had the first good chance for Stuttgart, then Frimpong (66th) headed just wide. A few minutes later, Boniface (73) suddenly found himself unmarked in front of the VfB goal, but the strong Nübel made another save. And that was all the Bayer team could muster on the night.