Champions League Thriller: Leverkusen’s Heartbreak in Madrid, Stuttgart’s Victory Keeps Dream Alive
Dramatic Night in Europe: Leverkusen Stumble in Madrid, Stuttgart Keep the Dream Alive
Bayer Leverkusen suffered heartbreak in a nail-biting 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid, dropping to 6th in the Champions League standings. Meanwhile, VfB Stuttgart kept their knockout hopes alive with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava.
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen started brightly in Madrid, dominating the early stages as if they were the home team. The visitors thought they had opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Nathan Tella smashed in a first-time cross from Alejandro Grimaldo. However, VAR disallowed the goal due to Grimaldo’s offside position.
Atletico’s troubles worsened in the 26th minute as Pablo Barrios received a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Nordi Mukiele, confirmed after a VAR review. Despite the numerical advantage, Leverkusen struggled to capitalize until Pierro Hincapie headed in a stunning goal just before halftime, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The second half saw Atletico ramp up the pressure, fueled by a roaring crowd at the Metropolitano. A lapse in concentration by Jonathan Tah allowed Julian Alvarez to level the score with a brilliant volley past Matej Kovar.
Leverkusen’s task became even tougher when Hincapie received a second yellow card for a foul on Marcos Llorente. Down to ten men, the visitors could not hold on, and Alvarez completed a sensational performance with a late winner, rounding Kovar and sliding the ball home.
Slovan Bratislava 1-3 VfB Stuttgart
In their crucial away clash, Stuttgart wasted no time asserting dominance. Jamie Leweling opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a confident finish following a precise pass from Undav. Stuttgart’s high-intensity play paid off again in the 36th minute, with Leweling doubling his tally after a VAR review overturned an offside call.
The German side continued to exploit long balls and creative play from their forwards, entering halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead. However, Stuttgart faltered slightly in the second half, allowing Bratislava to pull one back through Idjessi Metsoko in the 84th minute.
Fabian Rieder sealed the victory minutes later, netting his first Champions League goal after the hosts were caught out defensively. With this result, Stuttgart climbed to 21st in the standings, keeping their hopes of progression alive.
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