Bayer Leverkusen: Why Stuttgart is making Alonso tired | sport

This game promises to be the most beautiful of the Bundesliga first half of the season.

Leverkusen against Stuttgart (Friday, 8.30 p.m.) – that's offensive football, technique, speed. The four duels in the past eleven months have been exciting. There were two draws in the league (1:1 and 2:2). In the DFB Cup quarter-finals last season, Bayer advanced with a last-minute 3-2 win. In the Supercup final in August, the champions beat the runners-up on penalties.

Now the hottest game in the league is playing for the fifth time in a year. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso (42) is full of anticipation. He says: “Every game against Stuttgart has been very exciting recently, both for the spectators and for the coaches.”

The duel with VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß (42) is extremely demanding for the Spaniard. “I have a lot of respect for him, we talk with great admiration for each other after every game,” says Alonso. Hoeneß pursued the same approach with Stuttgart as he did: dominance over the passing game, pressing, quick attacks on the flanks.

If the fans were enthusiastic, it puts a strain on the players and their coach – and sometimes completely exhausts them. Alonso to BILD: “I remember being very exhausted after every game against Stuttgart, these games are very intense.” And that's why it's so nice for the spectators.

Stuttgart international striker Deniz Undav said last season that these two teams played the best football in the league. In the end, Bayer became champions and VfB runners-up. Not much has changed about that. Although they are not at the top of the table, they are in third place (Leverkusen) and eighth. But the spectacle remained.

Time game extremeAbsurd scenes at the corner flag!

Belocian operates – weeks off

Which is not always desirable for Alonso at Bayer. There have been 15 goals conceded in the first eight games. “We can score a lot of goals, but we didn’t want to concede that many,” said Alonso.

Now he is still missing a defender. Jeanuel Belocian (19) had ankle surgery on Wednesday and will be out for weeks.