⚽Bayer Leverkusen vs Stuttgart
⏰German Bundesliga, KO: 19:30 Nov 1, 2024, Bay Arena
Bayer Leverkusen go head-to-head against Stuttgart on Friday. Read our Predictions and Betting Tips with Match Preview, Head-to-head stats (h2h) and Team Form Analysis. 
Prediction for this Bundesliga match:
Following a routine 3-0 DFB Pokal win over Elversberg, Bayer Leverkusen will look to return to winning ways in Bundesliga when they take on Stuttgart on Friday evening. The BayArena outfit aim to melt Bayern Munich’s advantage in the standings and we are positive that they will go all guns blazing at die Schwaben. Xabi Alonso mixed the squad for the German Cup clash, but the Spanish tactician is going to field the best possible side against Stuttgart, with all Alex Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz, and Victor Boniface returning to the starting XI.
The visitors, on the other hand, survived Kaiserslautern in the German Cup last 32, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry in Leverkusen. Considering that Stuttgart have suffered six defeats in the previous eight meetings with Bayer Leverkusen at BayArena in all competitions, home win should be considered. Adding to their woes, defender Julian Chabot is banned for the visiting side.
How the bookies view it: The hosts go in as favourites
Bayer Leverkusen are the favourites for this one but they aren’t priced as short as they would have been at the start of the season. A win for Leverkusen has been priced at 8/15 by 777PUB while a victory for Stuttgart has been priced at 9/2. The draw, which would be a better result for the visitors, has been priced at 18/5 by 777PUB.
Players to watch: A striker desperate for a goal and one that can’t stop scoring
Two of the Bundesliga’s best strikers will be in action at the Bay Arena on Friday night with Ermedin Demirovic and Victor Bonfice both set to line up for Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
Demirovic was signed by Stuttgart in the summer with the task of replacing Serhou Guirassy who joined Borussia Dortmund. Guirassy netted 28 goals in 28 league appearances for Stuttgart last season so it was never going to be an easy task but Demirovic initially started well, scoring five goals in his first six league matches for Stuttgart.
However, in recent weeks the Bosnian has tailed off and has found the back of the net just once in his last seven appearances for the club. What he would give to get back on track against the champions?
On the flip side, Victor Boniface is scoring at a very impressive rate this season. The Nigerian striker has six goals in eight league appearances this season and is on track to beat the 14 league goals that he managed last season.
Predicted line-ups
Bayer Leverkusen are certain to be without Amine Adli who is recovering from a broken leg while Jeanuel Belocian is a doubt. Stuttgart have more issues than their opponents with Jeff Chabot out due to injury and Luca Raimond and Dan-Axel Zagadou out with injury.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo – Terrier, Wirtz – Boniface
Stuttgart: Nubel – Vagnoman, Chase, Rouault, Mittelstadt – Millot, Karazor, Stiller, Leweling – Demirovic, Undav
Bayer Leverkusen vs Stuttgart Prediction
Leverkusen slipped up in the title race with a 2-2 draw away at Werder Bremen last weekend.
They conceded a 90th-minute equalizer at Weserstadion, dropping two points. Die Werkself are now five points shy of Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig at the top of the Bundesliga standings.
The defending champions were not good at the back in Bremen. They allowed eight shots on target, once again revealing defensive issues.
These might represent a big problem in the first game of Matchday No 9 as well. Leverkusen play host to Stuttgart in a very exciting top-half outing at BayArena on Friday evening.
Stuttgart terminated a four-game winless run across competitions last week by beating Juventus 1-0 on the road in the UEFA Champions League.
They backed it up by beating Holstein Kiel 2-1 at the weekend in the domestic league, jumping to 8th position in the Bundesliga standings as a consequence.
Both Bayer and Stuttgart possess immense firepower in the final third and both teams have been struggling defensively at the start of the season as well.
We saw goals at both ends in each of Leverkusen’s previous four matches across competitions. The same scenario happened in 10 of Stuttgart’s last 12 fixtures in all competitions.
Both teams were also on target in each of the last five head-to-head meetings between these counterparts.
Both outfits have actually scored at least two goals in each of their last three H2G meetings, including this season’s Super Cup clash in August.
Leverkusen are the favourites with a stronger roster on paper, a better form overall, and a much better head-to-head record, especially in the games at BayArena.
Taking everything into consideration, the Home win & Both Teams To Score pick is the way to go at the odds of 2.50.
We will also take the 1.95 odds offered for in-form Victor Boniface to score anytime for the hosts.
The Nigerian forward has already scored six goals in the opening eight Bundesliga matches.
