Bayer Leverkusen moved up to third place in the Bundesliga by beating Stuttgart 4-0 at the BayArena this evening.
Wendell crashed in a low strike to open the scoring, before a header from Josip Drmic gave the hosts a two-goal lead at the break.
Five minutes into the second half Karim Bellarabi drilled in a third and a second goal for Drmic soon after completed the rout.
Find out how the action unfolded below.
7.00pmGood evening everyone! Our Bundesliga coverage this season continues with a clash between high-flying Bayer Leverkusen and struggling Stuttgart. With vital points at stake at both ends of the table, we could be in for some real drama at the BayArena tonight.
7.03pmThe favourites to win are undoubtedly Leverkusen, who would jump into the final automatic Champions League qualifying spot with three points today. They have won their last four games on the spin without conceding and they will be looking to maintain that positive form with a crucial European clash against Atletico Madrid to come next week.
7.06pmThings haven't been going so well for Stuttgart, who are currently propping up the Bundesliga table. It's been nine games since they last won in the league but they are not cut adrift just yet and a surprise victory would lift them up to 16th.
7.09pmTEAMS:
BAYER LEVERKUSEN XI: Leno, Hilbert, Toprak, Papadopoulos, Wendell, Rolfes, Castro, Bellarabi, Son, Calhanoglu, Drmic
STUTTGART XI: Ulreich, Sakai, Schwaab, Niedermeier, Klein, Kostic, Werner, Gentner, Serey Die, Ginczek, Maxim
7.12pmSo, that's how our teams will be lining up this evening. Aside from naming Stefan Kiessling on the bench, it's a strong Leverkusen side, with Son Heung-Min, Josip Drmic and Hakan Calhanoglu expected to do the damage. Meanwhile, Daniel Ginczek leads the line for the hosts, with Alexandru Maxim playing just behind him.
7.16pmIt really has been a great few weeks for Bayer, who seem to be hitting their stride at a crucial time in the season. They did hit a bit of a bumpy patch last month with successive defeats against Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, but some solid performances have put them back in the driving seat for a place in the Champions League.
The stage is set....
Getting closer to kick off in the #BayArena (via @bayer04fussball) #Bundesliga pic.twitter.com/N6UACAIoYS
— Bundesliga (@Bundesliga_EN) March 13, 20157.19pmOf course, they are back in European action on Tuesday and it's a huge game against Atletico Madrid. A superb goal from Hakan Calhanoglu was enough to give them a 1-0 win over the Spanish Champions in the first leg of their last-16 tie and you would be forgiven for thinking that their minds are on that clash at the Vicente Calderon.
7.22pmStuttgart will surely be hoping to take advantage, but it is hard to see them getting anything out of this match. Their last win came against Hamburg in the middle of December and since then they have lost four out of eight league games. Two of those did come against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, while successive draws in their last couple of matches has kept them in touch with the teams ahead of them.
7.26pmWe could be in for some goals today, as the two teams served up a thriller when they met last October. It looked like Bayer would romp to victory, as Son Heung-Min scored twice inside of ten minutes, before Karim Bellarabi struck a third shortly before half time. However, Stuttgart came roaring back after the break and goals from Timo Werner, Florian Klein and Martin Harnik helped them to earn a memorable point.
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7.29pmRight, the two teams are out on the pitch and we are just a minute away from the start of tonight's match!
1 minKICKOFF! We are underway at the BayArena!
3 minLeverkusen have seen plenty of the ball in the opening minutes here, but they are yet to pose any threat to their opponents' defence. The game is also being played at a frenetic pace at the moment and the midfield area is looking very congested.
6 minThe hosts are just starting to get into some good positions and Bellarabi shows great skill down the right to wriggle his way to the byline. He then whips in a fine looking cross, but the visitors manage to clear without too many problems.
9 minAt the moment, you would not think that Stuttgart are a team struggling at the bottom of the league, as they are more than holding their own. They very nearly create a decent opening too, as Werner is picked out at the back post, but as he tries to deliver the ball back into the middle he misses his kick and the chance goes to waste.
12 minWe're still waiting for our first shot on goal and there has been very little in terms of chances so far. The visitors will of course be much happier with how things are going and they aren't making this easy for Bayer.
15 minBayer may have looked good in the opening minutes of this game, but their play has become very sluggish. They are allowing Stuggart plenty of space and after giving away a cheap corner Niedermeier is unable to make clean contact and heads straight at Leno.
17 minCHANCE! Stuttgart are well on top at the moment and they have a great opportunity to take the lead. Werner latches onto a fine pass before pulling the ball back to Ginczek, who looks to guide a low effort into the corner, but Leno is down quickly to make the save and his defenders scramble it clear.
21 minMaxim has delivered some great crosses this evening and he whips a teasing free kick into the box that is inadvertently headed back towards his own goal by Hilbert. Fortunately for the defender, he sends it straight into the gloves of Leno, but it was another positive moment for the visitors.
24 minLeverkusen really are struggling to find any rhythm in their play and you've got to think that their huge game against Atletico next week is playing a part. You would forgive them for having one eye on that meeting with the Spaniards, but a loss today would certainly do some damage to their confidence.
27 minYELLOW CARD! Hilbert picks up the first booking of the match for dragging down Werner.
29 minIt's just getting a bit heated at the moment and after Bellarabi is brought down he reacts angrily, leading to a number of Stuttgart players to rush to the referee. We saw those kind of scenes at Stamford Bridge earlier this week and it seems to be an issue all over Europa at the moment.
32 minGOAL! Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Stuttgart (Wendell)
32 minThey haven't been at their best, but Bayer have taken a crucial lead this evening. It comes courtesy of some shocking defending from the visitors, who fail to deal with a cross and only just about block a close-range strike from Son. However, they can only clear the ball to Wendell who nips in and takes a couple of touches, before crashing a low strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
36 minGOAL! Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Stuttgart (Josip Drmic)
36 minBayer are cruising now and within the space of five minutes they are firmly in control. Once again, it's more terrible defending from the visitors, as Hilbert gets in down the right and has time and space to deliver a cross that is headed in by the unmarked Drmic.
39 minThose two goals have just summed up why Stuttgart are at the bottom of the table. They have been made to pay for some really awful mistakes and if you're going to play like that at the back, then you will be punished by a team of Leverkusen's quality.
40 minCHANCE! The hosts come close to grabbing a third goal when Papadopoulos arrives unmarked in the box to connect with Calhanoglu's corner, but he ends up powering his header over the bar. This really could be wrapped up by half time, but it's worth remembering the 3-3 draw between these teams in their last meeting.
45 minWe are going to have one minute of stoppage time.
45+1 minHALF-TIME: Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 Stuttgart
8.18pmThe whistle blows for half time at the BayArena and after a rather unconvincing start, Leverkusen are in complete control and heading towards the three points. Stuttgart had looked good up until the half-hour mark, but some terrible defending has left them with a mountain to climb.
8.22pmLet's take a quick look at the statistics from the opening 45 minutes. Leverkusen have seen 55% of the possession and they have mustered three attempts on goal. Stuttgart have also had a three efforts, with Leno called into action to make a smart stop from Ginczek.
8.26pmThis really would be the perfect start to a massive few days for Leverkusen. If they can score a couple more goals then Roger Schmidt may think about resting some of his star players for their date with Atletico. As well as that European clash, they have a huge Bundesliga game next weekend, with a trip to Schalke, who sit just behind them in the table.
46 minSUBSTITUTION: Stuttgart take the kick off and get us back underway. There has also been a change at half time for the visitors, with Kiesewetter replacing Kostic.
47 minCHANCE! With just over a minute played in this second half Leverkusen almost stretch their lead once more. Papadopoulos is found again from a corner and this time he looks to guide a header into the far corner, but his effort drifts narrowly wide of the far post with Ulreich well beaten.
48 minYELLOW CARD! Calhanoglu becomes the third Leverkusen player to be shown a card for a foul on Sakai.
50 minGOAL! Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Stuttgart (Karim Bellarabi)
50 minIf it wasn't already over, then it surely is now as the hosts score their third of the night. Calhanoglu picks out Bellarabi just outside the box and the winger drives forward and turns Sakai inside out, before firing a low strike past Ulreich and into the corner.
53 minCHANCE! Leverkusen are playing some great stuff now and there are surely more goals in this for them. Bellarabi almost scores a second in quick succession as he lifts a shot onto the roof of the net, after Son saw his attempt saved by Ulreich.
56 minBayer are far from done and they really do look like scoring every time they come forward. Castro also tries to get in on the action as he is found just outside the box by Bellarabi, before seeing his strike deflect wide of the post.
59 minGOAL! Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Stuttgart (Josip Drmic)
59 minIt's far too easy for Leverkusen at the moment and they hardly break a sweat as they add a fourth goal. A fine team move ends with Calhanoglu slipping Drmic through and the striker cuts onto his left foot, before drilling a strike past Ulreich.
61 minSUBSTITUTION: Stuttgart make their second change of the match, with Hlousek coming on for Sakai.
63 minDOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: Leverkusen make a couple of changes, as Reinartz and Brandt come on for Hilbert and Bellarabi.
64 minSUBSTITUTION: We've got another change here for the visitors and it's Romeu who comes on for Serey Die.
67 minStuttgart are seeing the ball in their opponent's half for the first time in a while, but they haven't given Leno anything to worry about. A goal or two may help to boost their frail confidence, although I'm sure that their players are just waiting for the final whistle to leave the pitch.
70 minThe game has just become a little flat at the moment and the hosts seem to have settled for their four-goal lead. They don't need to do much else in this game and none of their players will want to pick up any unnecessary injuries before next week.
73 minYELLOW CARD! Maxim picks up Stuttgart's second booking of the night for a foul on Castro.
76 minWith the way that Stuttgart have played tonight, it is hard seeing them escaping the drop this season. Obviously they are playing a team of great quality, but they have been frankly abysmal at the back and their winless run will now stretch to nine league games.
80 minThose goals at the start of the second half have really killed this match as a contest and there has been very little to get excited about since. However, in the past couple of minutes Leverkusen have shown some more attacking intent and we may see a late fifth to round of a very good night.
83 minSUBSTITUTION: There won't be a hat trick for Drmic this evening, as he heads off for a rest and is replaced by Kiessling.
84 minYELLOW CARD! Hlousek brings down Castro with a poor challenge and picks up a deserved booking.
85 minHaving just been booked seconds ago, Hlousek escapes another yellow as he goes through the back of Son and leaves the striker on the deck. The referee has been rather lenient in letting that go, as the Stuttgart man should be walking.
88 minLeverkusen are ending this match with a spring in their step and they work the ball brilliantly to Calhanoglu on the right. The midfielder then gets to the byline and delivers a great low ball across the box, but none of his teammates are there to convert and the visitors get it away without conceding.
90 minFULL-TIME: Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Stuttgart
9.18pmNo stoppage time is added on by the referee and Stuttgart's miserable night has come to an end. They are still rock bottom of the table after that hammering, but it's a different story for Leverkusen, who are now up to third. They played some great stuff at times this evening and that will give them a huge boost of confidence ahead of their Champions League match in Madrid next week.
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9.22pmThat just about does it for our coverage this evening. Make sure you stay with us throughout the weekend as there will be plenty of games from all over Europe to get your teeth stuck into. Until then, goodbye!
