On Sunday evening, defending champions Leverkusen visit Stuttgart to close out the matchday. Expert Sebastian Bergmann from the Rheinische Post gives us insight into the current situation at the league’s second-placed team.
With the Red Stripe: Hello Sebastian, and thanks for taking the time to answer our questions again. On Tuesday evening, Leverkusen was eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern. How much did the club expect from this competition, especially after finishing the group stage as the best German team?
Sebastian: In the group stage, Bayer won at home against both Milan teams, reaffirming their strong international reputation, which was already solid due to last season’s success. Additionally, it was their first time reaching the knockout stage since 2016/17. However, the matches against top teams—Liverpool (0–4) and Atlético Madrid (1–2)—had already hinted that going all the way this season would be difficult. Getting knocked out by Bayern in the Round of 16 isn’t a catastrophe for the club—it happens. What really bothers the players and staff, though, is the manner in which they were eliminated. Before this, Xabi Alonso had a perfect record against Bayern, but this time, Leverkusen was largely without a chance in both legs. That was definitely not what they had hoped for under the Bayer Cross.
In the league, Leverkusen couldn’t capitalize on the unexpected home loss of the league leaders and instead lost to Bremen. What led to their second defeat of the season, and how do you assess their chances of defending the title?
The loss to Bremen was a result of individual mistakes, a dip in form among key players, and a lack of focus between the two Champions League matches against Bayern. In Leverkusen, they have a realistic view of their title chances. Of course, as always, they say: “As long as it’s mathematically possible…” But it’s hard to imagine Munich handing them another lifeline. The goal now is likely to secure second place as early as possible.
That leaves the DFB-Pokal, where they face Bielefeld in early April and could potentially meet VfB in the final. Would Leverkusen be satisfied with “just” one trophy?
Absolutely. After more than 30 years without silverware, a season ending with a Champions League Round of 16 finish, second place in the league, and a DFB-Pokal victory would still be a success—despite last year’s incredible double-winning season. If they fail to win the cup, though, it would be a painful setback.
Florian Wirtz was injured in the game against Bremen and is sidelined for now. How big of a gap does his absence leave in your opinion?
There’s no debate that Florian Wirtz is a phenomenal footballer and one of the world’s best. His absence is a massive blow to the team. He’s their top scorer, an indefatigable worker, and the creative brain of the team. It’s obvious that Bayer can’t fully replace him. Moreover, he’s been playing even better this season than during their championship-winning campaign. In tight games, he’s the one who makes the difference. That said, even without the 21-year-old, Leverkusen still has enough quality in their squad to field a top Bundesliga team.
Leverkusen has failed to score in their last three competitive matches—probably a first under Xabi Alonso. Is this just a temporary slump or a worrying trend?
In fact, in five of their last seven competitive games, they didn’t score at all. Aside from their impressive 4–1 win in Frankfurt, their attacking play and finishing have been lacking lately—regardless of who was on the pitch. The trend is working against Leverkusen right now. However, it’s hard to imagine their offensive struggles becoming a long-term issue.
VfB has won just one of their last seven league games—against Champions League quarterfinalists Dortmund—but also put in a solid performance against Bayern. What kind of game do you expect on Sunday evening?
I expect another tactically and technically high-quality match. These are two teams with similar playing philosophies. There’s no clear favorite. Given the events of their previous encounters, it’s safe to expect another intense game.
Where do you see Leverkusen’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the match?
Leverkusen can wear down opponents with their possession play, but they also have plenty of options for counterattacking and are strong in counter-pressing. However, they haven’t maintained their high defensive standards from last season and have already conceded more goals than they did in their entire title-winning campaign. If you manage to neutralize key players like Granit Xhaka and quickly transition through midfield, you can cause them problems.
Like Sebastian Hoeneß, Xabi Alonso is constantly linked with other clubs—an inevitable consequence of being a successful coach. Do you think Alonso will still be on the touchline next season? And if not, could Bayer look toward Stuttgart for a replacement?
The fact that Real Madrid reached the Champions League quarterfinals with Carlo Ancelotti this week was likely noted with some relief in Leverkusen. Right now, the signs point to Alonso staying for another year. He’s repeatedly emphasized that he’s still a young coach who needs to keep learning. He can do that much more effectively in the Bundesliga than at a top international club, where distractions would be greater. That would be a completely different story in Madrid. Last year, he announced his decision to stay at the end of March. We could see a similar timeline this year—then we’ll know more.
Sebastian Hoeneß certainly fits Bayer’s profile for a potential successor and would likely be high on their list. However, the speculation isn’t as intense as it was at one point.
Finally, your predicted lineup and score?
Prediction: 2–2.
Note: This interview was translated from German via ChatGPT
Picture: © Adam Pretty/Getty Images