After the Leverkusen team saved their super series with another show of strength, they were celebrated by their fans like winners.
Coach Xabi Alonso’s team owed the fact that Bayer remained unbeaten even after winning their first championship title in the Bundesliga early to a successful comeback and a last-minute goal in the 2-2 (0-0) draw against VfB Stuttgart by national player Robert Andrich (90.6). The draw means the works club can no longer break the points record in a season, but that hardly dampened the Leverkusen team’s joy.
“It was important that we went up front. We wanted to score by hook or by crook, and then we believed in it until the end and played forward,” said Andrich afterwards on Sky: “That shows that the team was winning the game didn’t want to lose.” Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky said: “Crazy, I have no words for it.” Coach Alonso was also very impressed by his team’s renewed energetic performance. He himself was emotional on the sidelines: after his fourth yellow card, the Spaniard is suspended from the next league game in Frankfurt.
46th competitive game of the season without defeat
Bayer had made up a 2-0 deficit against third-placed teams and remained undefeated in their 46th competitive game of the season. “We played such a strong game, it hurts extremely,” said VfB goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.
The new national players Chris Führich (47th) and Deniz Undav (57th) gave the guests a 2-0 lead. Amine Adli (61st) shortened the score and Andrich scored the final point. However, Bayer can only reach 90 points at the end of the season. FC Bayern’s points record of 91 points from the 2012/13 season will therefore remain. The first season without defeat is still possible for Bayer after 31 league and 46 competitive games and a year with various records. On Thursday, coach Alonso’s team has to play in the semi-finals of the Europa League at AS Roma.
After the 1-1 draw in the first leg, Stuttgart, like only Borussia Dortmund, remained unbeaten in both games against the new champions and consolidated third place. With a seven point lead over fifth place and three games left, the team that was almost relegated in the last two years probably doesn’t have to rely on the possible exception of five Bundesliga teams in the premier class in the fight for a place in the Champions League.
Stuttgart stood up to Leverkusen from the start
Both teams were missing Granit Xhaka and Angelo Stiller, who were probably the most important stabilizers in midfield. And the respect for each other was huge. Alonso had previously described VfB, whose team had come closer to defeat than almost any other team after twice taking the lead in the 1-1 first leg and the 2-3 in the cup quarter-finals, as “one of the best teams in Europe this season”.
And as in the previous two games, the Swabians stood up to the champions from the start. They sought salvation in an offensive orientation and aggressive style of play and initially even had significantly more possession of the ball. That was almost rewarded in the 14th minute when VfB striker Serhou Guirassy headed centimeters past a cross from Leonidas Stergiou from seven meters. Leverkusen’s first big chance even came from a counterattack when Alejandro Grimaldo was first denied by Stuttgart’s keeper Nübel and Patrik Schick clearly volleyed the second attempt over (29′).
VfB got off to a lightning start in the second half
VfB got off to a lightning start in the second half. Jamie Leweling hit the post from a tight angle and Führich converted the rebound 68 seconds after the restart. Nine minutes later, Undav prevailed against Andrich in the duel between the national players and added his 18th goal of the season. Now it became a wild exchange of blows. Guirassy missed the 0:3 (60′), a few seconds later Adli shortened the score.
Bayer now pressed with all their might, but Nübel held on outstandingly against Adli and in the follow-up shot against Jonas Hofmann (65th). In the 74th minute, Alonso brought on the long-rested Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface. The Leverkusen team increased the pressure – and were rewarded for it in the end.
