Heroics from Bayern loanee help Stuttgart scrape a draw against Leverkusen

VfB Stuttgart traveled to Leverkusen for the opening fixture of the ninth Bundesliga matchday. With a total of 15 goals scored in their last four encounters, this one promised to be another cracker of a game. Unfortunately, those expectations weren’t met as the match ended in a 0–0 draw. 

Bayern loanee crucial in Stuttgart's hard fought draw against defending Bundesliga champions

A resilient Stuttgart side fought tooth and nail to leave Leverkusen with a point, meanwhile, Xabi Alonso’s team was simply not clinical enough on the night. Stuttgart goalie Alexander Nübel, who is on loan from FC Bayern, deserves a lot of plaudits for keeping his team from conceding multiple goals. The German goalkeeper made 5 crucial saves in the match.

Nübel’s first slice of action came in the 11th minute, when he saved Frimpong’s powerfully struck goal-bound shot. A couple of minutes later, he denied Grimaldo, who had struck a low shot after finding himself in open space after a cut-back from Palacios. In the last seconds of the first-half, the 28-year-old’s reflexes were once again tested, as he saved Boniface’s header from a point-blank range.

Nübel’s biggest highlight came in the second-half when he came off his line to deny Boniface, who was completely through on goal. He spread out his arms and legs to obstruct the low-driven shot of the Nigerian striker who has been in red-hot form this season. Die Werkself created a total xG of 2.36, but it was without any reward due to the heroics of Stuttgart’s makeshift back-line and goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.

Possible future at Bayern as Manuel Neuer successor

This is the fourth consecutive season Nübel has spent on loan since joining Bayern Munich. He has only played four games for Die Roten, all coming in the 21-22 season. Since then he has guarded the sticks for French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco for two seasons in 21–22 and 22–23, and then for Stuttgart in 23-24 and the present season. The German has made it clear that he doesn’t fancy a to return to Bavaria only to play second fiddle behind Manuel Neuer. But with Neuer now getting on in years and his form seeing a decline, Nübel’s future at Bayern will be one to keep an eye on. The 28-year-old has a long term contract at Bayern until 2029, meanwhile his loan deal at Stuttgart runs until the summer of 2026.

Nübel will be in UCL action for Stuttgart against Italian side Atalanta on November 6. (Stats courtesy of Fotmob)