Bayer Leverkusen began 2026 in disastrous fashion, losing 4-1 at home to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga as all four away goals arrived before half-time. Kasper Hjulmand’s side were effectively beaten by the interval
on their first outing after the winter break, with Jamie Leweling central to Stuttgart’s ruthless display.
The visitors’ first-half surge gave Stuttgart a 4-0 advantage at the break, matching one of the club’s most dominant Bundesliga intervals. It was the second time Stuttgart led by at least four goals at half-time, after a 5-0 lead at Nuremberg in September 1982, which also ended 5-0.
Numbers underlined how Stuttgart controlled the first 45 minutes. Stuttgart registered seven shots on target from eight attempts before half-time and produced 2.5 expected goals. Bayer Leverkusen managed only 0.61 xG before the break and struggled to contain Stuttgart’s direct running and quick combinations in the attacking third.
| Team | Phase | Shots | Shots on target | Expected goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuttgart | First half | 8 | 7 | 2.5 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | First half | - | - | 0.61 |
| Stuttgart | Full match | 10 | - | 2.6 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Full match | 16 | - | 1.95 |
Stuttgart’s intent was clear almost from kick-off. Josha Vagnoman forced Mark Flekken into an early save, and the pressure soon told when Leweling rounded the former Brentford goalkeeper to score in the seventh minute. Leweling had another one-on-one finish ruled out for offside, keeping the margin at a single goal for a while.
The lead doubled on 29 minutes following another surge from Vagnoman. The Stuttgart player went down under a lazy challenge from Jeanuel Belocian, and the referee pointed to the spot. Maximilian Mittelstadt converted the penalty with a calm finish, placing Leverkusen under severe pressure long before half-time approached.
Stuttgart then delivered the decisive spell just before the break, striking twice in three minutes. Deniz Undav slipped a pass through for Leweling to claim Stuttgart’s third goal and Undav’s second assist. Almost immediately afterwards, Undav finished himself, rolling the ball through Flekken’s legs for a composed fourth.
Hjulmand reacted at half-time, introducing Loic Bade and Ernest Poku for the second period. Poku almost sparked a response when a low cross found Martin Terrier, but Terrier miscued the effort. Leverkusen finally scored on 66 minutes, when Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty after Malick Tillman was brought down by Jeff Chabot.
That spot-kick offered Leverkusen hope of damage limitation more than a comeback. The hosts were far more threatening after the interval, finishing with 16 attempts compared to Stuttgart’s 10 and generating 1.95 xG against the visitors’ final tally of 2.6. However, the early collapse meant the contest was long settled.
The result carried extra weight for Stuttgart, who ended a run of 15 competitive matches without a victory against Bayer Leverkusen, previously their longest active winless sequence versus any Bundesliga opponent. For Leverkusen, the heavy home defeat highlighted a costly restart to the year, shaped almost entirely by a punishing first half.
