WOLFSBURG: Bayer Leverk­usen dropped eight points behind league leaders Bayern Munich after a scoreless draw at Wolfs­burg on Saturday, setting up a potentially season-defining duel between the top two next weekend.

Bayern’s 3-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday, their seventh straight league win, increased the pressure on Xabi Alonso’s defending champions, who host the leaders next Saturday.

Alonso named a weakened starting lineup with Florian Wirtz, Patrik Schick and Jeremie Frimpong all left on the bench after playing 120 minutes in Tuesday’s extra-time German Cup win over Cologne.

Without their star trio, Leverkusen lacked fluency. Nordi Mukiele had a golden chance to put Leverkusen in front after 22 minutes, but headed over the bar while unmarked from point-blank range.

Wirtz and Frimpong came on after 60 minutes but the visitors had few chances despite dominating possession.

Wirtz went down in the box with 13 minutes remaining after some light contact prompting a VAR check, but the referee waved it away.

The 21-year-old had a chance to snatch his side the win in stoppage time, but blasted just wide.

Leverkusen have dropped four points in their past three league games, leaving their bid to defend their debut title on a knife-edge.

In Saturday’s late game, Eintracht Frankfurt drew 1-1 away at Borussia Moenchengladbach, continuing their struggles since the loss of Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January.

Hugo Ekitike’s 31st-minute goal cancelled out a 26th-minute Tim Kleindienst header.

Stuttgart won 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund to go fourth, spoiling Niko Kovac’s debut in the home dugout.

Centre-back Waldemar Anton put the visitors in front in the 50th minute. Stuttgart’s Jeff Chabot put the visitors two goals up on the 61st-minute mark, knocking in a superb volley for his first Bundesliga goal.

Julian Brandt scored late but it was not enough, as Stuttgart beat Dortmund for a fifth straight time.

Freiburg climbed to sixth with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Heidenheim, with a first-half header from Vincenzo Grifo the difference.

Italy winger Grifo, known for his set-piece prowess, headed in a Ritsu Doan cross to keep his side on track for a third European qualification in four seasons.

Union Berlin chalked up a statement victory in their battle to avoid the drop, winning 4-0 at struggling Hoffenheim. Union won thanks to a brace from Benedict Hollerbach and goals from Marin Ljubicic and Andrej Ilic. The win took Union 10 points clear of Heidenheim, who sit in the relegation playoff spot.

Also on Saturday, Mainz and Augsburg played out a scoreless draw.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2025