Bayer Leverkusen’s aspirations for Champions League qualification took a significant blow following a 3-1 defeat to Stuttgart, a result that has left the team’s captain reflecting on their collective mentality.
The Bundesliga clash at MHPArena saw the hosts secure crucial points to strengthen their fourth-place position as Leverkusen finds themselves three points behind Stuttgart with only one match remaining in the season.
Despite taking an early lead through Aleix Garcia’s goal just 34 seconds into the match, Leverkusen capitulated, prompting captain Robert Andrich to voice his frustration at the team’s inability to maintain their advantage.
A bitter defeat in Stuttgart.#VfBB04 pic.twitter.com/5eAGdztKY3
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) May 9, 2026
In an interview with DAZN, Andrich stated, “It was too little from everyone. It was a symbol of our season. As soon as it gets tight and dicey, we don’t manage to stand together as a team.”
He further elaborated, “That’s a thing that annoys me extremely because it’s a team thing. We didn’t come close to beating Stuttgart over 90 minutes.”
Andrich accepted his share of responsibility, acknowledging, “I have to blame myself for a lot. I’ve often stood here after games like this in which we didn’t get into the game. The fault must lie somewhere.”
He concluded with a stark assessment of their performance, saying, “When I look at games like today, you have to say that we don’t deserve it either, we have to be that honest with ourselves. It’s better than saying that we could have won here as well.”
With their final fixture against Hamburg set to be a must-win, Leverkusen’s hopes rest precariously on the outcome of that match and perhaps a stroke of luck. “Anything can happen. We have to win our game, and then we have to pray,” Andrich noted, summing up the urgency of the situation.
