Werkself beaten 4-1 by Stuttgart at start of the year

Head coach Kasper Hjulmand's starting line-up showed three changes from the final match of 2025 at RB Leipzig: Jarell Quansah, Alejandro Grimaldo and Ezequiel Fernández, making his first start since his injury in late October, replaced Loïc Badé, Jonas Hofmann and Patrik Schick. The visitors sent the first signal of intent in the second minute, when a cross from Chris Führich found Jamie Leweling, whose header from close range was brilliantly saved by the feet of Mark Flekken. However, the Dutchman couldn't prevent Leweling from opening the scoring five minutes later after being set up by Deniz Undav. The VfB duo almost made it 2-0 ten minutes later, but the effort was disallowed due to Undav being offside.

penalty and two goals in two minutes

Not much happened at either end for a while after that. Maximilian Mittelstädt made a crucial block to deny Malik Tillman in the 26th minute, and soon after that the Stuttgart left-back got himself on the scoresheet. Following a foul by Jeanuel Belocian on Josha Vagnoman, Mittelstädt converted the subsequent spot-kick. The Werkself responded with a shot from Fernández, which VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel was equal to. Things got even worse for the home side on the stroke of half-time, as first Leweling from distance (45') and then Undav (45'+2) made it 4-0.

Hjulmand reacted by bringing on Badé and Ernest Poku for Belocian and Tella for the second half. Grimaldo, Martin Terrier and Poku all had attempts early on that failed to hit the target, before another promising effort from Grimaldo was stopped by Nübel's chest in the 63rd minute.

Grimaldo nets consolation

The Werkself kept pushing and eventually earned a penalty for a foul by Julian Chabot on TIllman. Grimaldo buried the spot-kick into the middle of the net to make it 4-1 (66'). With more fresh legs in the form of Hofmann, Alejo Sarco and Lucas Vázquez (for Fernández, Terrier and Grimaldo), Leverkusen tried to increase the pressure but the deficit from the first half proved to be too high in the end as the year began with a 4-1 loss.

up next: trip to hamburg

The Werkself have the chance to bounce back already in three days' time as they end the Hinrunde away to promoted side Hamburger SV on Tuesday 13 January (20:30 CET). The Rückrunde then begins with Matchday 18 at TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday 17 January (15:30 CET.

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Flekken - Quansah, Andrich, Belocian (Badé 46')- Arthur - Fernández (Hofmann 67'), Garcia, Grimaldo (Vázquez 81') - Tillman, Terrier (Sarco 67'), Tella (Poku 46') 

VfB Stuttgart: Nübel - Vagnoman (Assignon 79'), Chabot, Hendriks, Mittelstädt - Karazor, Stiller - Leweling (Arevalo 79'), Nartey (Andrea Baixauli 88'), Führich (Jeltsch 72') - Undav (Demirovic 88')

Goals: 0-1 Leweling (7'), 0-2 Mittelstädt (29' pen), 0-3 Leweling (45'), 0-4 Undav (45'+2), 1-4 Grimaldo (66' pen)

Yellow cards: Flekken, Badé, Garcia / Leweling, Jeltsch

Referee: Felix Zwayer (Berlin)

Attendance: 30,210 (sold out) at the BayArena