38′
9:23 p.m
Stuttgart is brave, Stuttgart is focused and Stuttgart is really annoying Bayer. The guests attack Leverkusen almost constantly in the last chain and make it difficult to build up the game in a structured manner. Even if B04 overplays this pressing, it only takes a few moments until all the players in the white jerseys are behind the ball again.
34′
9:19 p.m
Yellow card for Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
Once again, Frimpong gets too upset about a referee’s decision and receives a yellow card for it.
32′
9:17 p.m
Granit Xhaka is a little too careless with the ball in the center circle. Two or three players in white jerseys are immediately there and take away the playing equipment from the midfield strategist.
30′
9:16 p.m
The audience gets the Werkself’s first goal thanks to a long-range shot from Álex Grimaldo. Leverkusen now has a slight advantage in terms of ball possession (60 percent) but is still waiting for the big opportunities.
27′
9:12 p.m
Leverkusen is lucky! Kovář tries to solve Stuttgart’s pressing with football, but plays the ball directly into Führich’s feet. He can put the ball back in the center, but the Werkself switch in an exemplary manner and ensure that only a harmless finish into the arms of Kovář follows.
26′
9:11 p.m
Yellow card for Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart)
23′
9:08 p.m
Frimpong is not doubled in the Swabians’ penalty area and explodes from a standing position towards the baseline. He unstoppably plays a cross pass from the baseline into the center, but Ito clears it.
19′
9:05 p.m
Despite this cold shower, Bayer is now finding its own game better and is becoming increasingly dominant. Stuttgart, on the other hand, allows themselves a short break and shifts the pressing several meters backwards.
18′
9:03 p.m
Yellow card for Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen)
With no chance of getting the ball, the midfield engine starts to tackle and gets the first warning of the game.
17′
9:02 p.m
After winning the ball, Führich switches quickly and marches with the ball over the center line. He carefully places the leather on the left side, where Enzo Millot has broken away, moves several meters forward with the play equipment and hits a cross into the middle. Shortly before Undav reaches the ball, Matěj Kovář is there.
15′
9:00 p.m
The Swabians prevent the home team from getting into their classic build-up patterns and in turn manage to throw in a few ball relays themselves.
11′
20:56
Great for VfB Stuttgart, 0-1 by Waldemar Anton
There was a hint of an open game and Stuttgart was the first to reward itself. In a well-rehearsed corner kick variant, the Swabians spread themselves far apart to give captain Waldemar Anton enough space to run in. The central defender thanks him and heads the ball diagonally into the net from five meters away.
9′
20:54
A similar picture emerges when VfB has the ball. Leverkusen is already attacking the Swabians in their own box. So far, both teams have not been able to make any mistakes in the build-up to the game.
7′
20:52
Stuttgart immediately countered the Werkself’s 3-2 build-up with five players and was just waiting for the right moment to press. Leverkusen now breaks free for the first time and takes the first corner. The Swabians defend this without any major problems.
4′
8:49 p.m
The first few minutes clearly show that both teams play well-kept ball and generally provide the audience with attractive offensive football.
3′
8:48 p.m
Leverkusen builds up with a three-man chain at the back, but is immediately put under pressure by several Swabians as they build up the game.
1′
8:46 p.m
Stuttgart kicks off and starts with white jerseys. The Werkself wore black and red today.
8:40 p.m
The BayArena in Leverkusen is filled to capacity and the 30,210 spectators ensure an excellent atmosphere even before the game starts. Daniel Schlager has been assigned to manage the game this evening and will now take the field with both teams
20:21
The Werkself have a feasible route to the quarter-finals and have not yet had to knock any first division team out of the cup. After an 8-0 win in the first round against Teutonia 05, Bayer 04 also made short work of the two second division teams Sandhausen (5:2) and Paderborn (3:1). VfB has had to assert itself against this on several occasions. The third-place team in the Bundesliga managed this brilliantly. Without conceding a goal, Hoeneß’s protégés prevailed against TSG Balingen (4:0), Union Berlin (1:0) and Borussia Dortmund (2:0).
8:09 p.m
The Swabians have recently been back in form, first winning against RB Leipzig (5:2) and then following up with a 3-1 away win against SC Freiburg. VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß sees little reason for a change compared to the last success against SCF, especially since he continues to have to do without his injured top striker Serhou Guirassy. Apart from the exchange of Hiroki Ito for Leonidas Stergiou (bench), there are no further rotations for the guests.
8:00 p.m
Before the game, Xabi Alonso emphasized his team’s hunger for the title: “The players have this desire to win something. The cup is the shortest way and we are only two games away from the final.” In order to get a little closer to their first title since winning the cup in 1993, the Spaniard is sending the following starting eleven onto the pitch: Kovář – Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapié – Frimpong, Xhaka, Andrich, Álex Grimaldo – Hofmann, Schick, Wirtz.
19:51
The winner of this quarter-final game not only advances to the semi-finals, but also becomes the favorite for the title. Both teams have already met once this season: on matchday 14, the Werkself and the Swabians shared their points (1:1). Of course, such a draw is not possible as a final result today. For Leverkusen, a win this evening would be their 30th competitive game of the season without defeat.
Hello and welcome to the game Bayer Leverkusen – VfB Stuttgart! The live ticker of the game in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup starts just in time before the game starts.