Bayer Leverkusen vs VfB Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart have won just one of their last 27 competitive meetings with Bayer 04 Leverkusen (D8, L18), a 1-0 Bundesliga away win in April 2018. Leverkusen are currently unbeaten in their last 13 games against VfB in all competitions (W8, D5) – a 14th game without defeat would be a first in this fixture. This is the fourth straight clash between the sides that has taken place in Leverkusen (2x BL, 1x DFB-Pokal, 1x DFL-Supercup).

VfB Stuttgart have led in each of their five competitive games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen under Sebastian Hoeneß, but they haven’t won any of them. The last three meetings have seen Leverkusen score after the 88-minute mark (1x to win, 1x to draw and 1x to reach penalties in the DFL-Supercup).

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have lost just one of their last 42 Bundesliga games (W32, D9), a 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig on matchday 2 this season. Leverkusen have picked up the most points in the league by far since the start of last term (105), followed by FC Bayern (92) and VfB Stuttgart (85, same as RB Leipzig).

Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the third defending champions after FC Bayern München in 1981/82 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1998/99 to still have no clean sheets after eight Bundesliga matchdays. However, Leverkusen have recorded more top-flight shutouts against VfB Stuttgart than versus any other side (28).

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have dropped nine points from winning positions in the Bundesliga this season, with only Wolfsburg worse off (11). They are the only team to have led in all eight of their league games this term (W4, D3, L1). Leverkusen didn’t squander a single point after taking the lead last season.