Leverkusen frustrated in lively draw with Stuttgart

Bayer Leverkusen did everything except score against Stuttgart in a lively 0-0 draw in the Bundesliga ahead of Champions League games for both next week.

Leverkusen hit the woodwork twice, forced repeated saves from Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, and saw Jeremie Frimpong's goal ruled out for offside in the buildup on Friday.

"We had enough chances to score a goal. It was a good performance, maybe our best in the past year. We only lacked a goal," Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso told broadcasters DAZN.

Leverkusen are third on the table but could end the weekend seven points off the lead if Bayern Munich or Leipzig win their games on Saturday.

Stuttgart had few clear chances against a Leverkusen defence which has made some costly blunders and conceded at least once in all of their previous Bundesliga games this season.

However, it was also the first game this season in which Leverkusen failed to score and fourth draw in their last six games in all competitions.

The closest Leverkusen came to scoring was when Victor Boniface blasted a shot against the post in the 53rd from a good position.

Missed chances are a recurring theme in a season where Alonso's team has failed often to produce the kind of late winning goals that fuelled their title win last season.

"We're disappointed, it was the best performance of the season. With the ball, without the ball, we worked very intensively, created a lot of chances ... it's a shame," Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka told DAZN.

"We lacked the final decision, the final pass today," he said.

Leverkusen head to Liverpool on Tuesday in the Champions League, while Stuttgart host Atalanta on Wednesday.

with DPA