Werkself suffer first home loss in 4-2 defeat to Stuttgart

Head coach Carles Martínez made five changes to the team that started Wednesday’s 5-2 victory over Nürnberg in the second round of the DFB Pokal. Mark Flekken returned between the posts in place of Janis Blaswich. Jarell Quansah, Ezequiel Fernández, Maza and Schick started in place of Robert Andrich, Jonas Hofmann, Malik Tillman and Nathan Tella, who was absent due to muscular problems.

Schick responds to double setback

Following a spectacular tifo by the Bayer 04 fans in the north stand, the players on the pitch also produced some impressive football in the early stages. The Werkself looked hungry and fought hard to gain possession. But then came two setbacks as VfB pounced with their first attempts on goal through Demirovic and Leweling rebounds.

Leverkusen remained unfazed by the double blow and sought to battle back. Whilst Schick’s first header went just over the bar, his second found the back of the net to bring it back to 2-1. And Bayer 04 kept up the pressure, with Maza’s shot crashing against the underside of the crossbar. Things then got heated just before the half-time whistle, as referee Benjamin Brand handed out four yellow cards in quick succession following a scuffle. After that, however, the action continued to flow. Aleix García and Afonso Moreira were unable to find the target for B04, whilst VfB responded with a shot from Leweling that hit the crossbar.

Werkself push, Stuttgart clinical

The Werkself got off to a good start in the second half but were once again caught out by Stuttgart’s clinical finishing. This time it was Bilal El Khannouss whose shot from the edge of the penalty area found the bottom-right corner of the net to make it 3-1 after 51 minutes. Although Leverkusen remained on the front foot and almost pulled one back through Moreira and Schick, it was Stuttgart who were celebrating once again when Demirovic grabbed his second on the break.

But Bayer 04 refused to give up, and their attacking efforts were rewarded when Maza scored a header to make it 4-2. Right up until the final whistle, the Black and Reds gave it their all, but the home side were unable to add to their tally on the day and fell to their first defeat at home in any competition this season.

Marseille then derby

The Werkself next welcome Marseille to the BayArena in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (21:00 CET) before heading down the Rhine for the derby with Köln on Sunday (15:30).

Match stats:

Bayer 04: Flekken - Quansah, Tapsoba, Medina, Gutiérrez - Fernández (Andrich 75'), Garcia (Boniface 83') - Vázquez (Hofmann 62'), Maza, Moreira (Tillman 75') - Schick

VfB Stuttgart: Seimen - Jaquez (Jeltsch 65'), Chabot, Hendriks - Leweling (Al-Dakhil 85'), Prömel, Karazor, Führich (Mittelstädt 65') - El Khannouss (Pejcinovic 85'), Undav (Nartey 72') - Demirovic

Goals: 0-1 Demirovic (14'), 0-2 Leweling (22'), 1-2 Schick (29'), 1-3 El Khannouss (51'), 1-4 Demirovic (66'), 2-4 Maza (79')

Yellow cards: Fernández, Medina, Garcia, Maza - Chabot, Jaquez, Karazor, Demirovic

Referee: Benjamin Brand

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