League leaders Leverkusen played out a 2-2 draw against third-placed Stuttgart, as the visitors aimed to cement their position in the top four. 

Chris Führich opened the scoring with 47 minutes on the clock as the Swabians started the second half with a bang.

Deniz Undav doubled the visitors’ advantage nine minutes later with a well-taken effort, who looked on course to inflict Leverkusen’s first loss of the season.

Before Moroccan international Amine Adli hauled Leverkusen back into the game in the 61st minute.

With what could have feasibly been the last kick of the game, Andrich bundled home from a set piece in the 96th minute to level proceedings.

Leverkusen’s unbeaten run is extended to a remarkable 46 matches in all competitions, Xabi Alonso will hope the positive momentum of which will be carried into Thursday’s Europa League semi-final against Roma.

After the loss in Bremen and draw in Leverkusen, Stuttgart have now gone two matches without a win for the first time since January. 

Leverkusen’s last-gasp leveller scuppered the opportunity to further distance themselves from RB Leipzig — who are now two points behind in fourth place, following their win against Borussia Dortmund.

  • History beckons with three Bundesliga matches to go

Xabi Alonso’s side have done it again, extending their remarkable unbeaten run in the dying embers of yet another game.

With just three Bundesliga matches to go this season, history beckons for the German champions. 

A full, unbeaten season is unprecedented in Germany and would be another achievement in Leverkusen’s phenomenal season. 

Bayer 04 have overcome two very difficult hurdles back to back, but the fixture list does not relent as the 23/24 season comes to a close. 

Alonso’s side travel to Eintracht Frankfurt, who were beaten narrowly by Bayern Munich on Saturday afternoon and have their own ambitions.

The second of two back-to-back away games comes in the form of relegation-threatened VfL Bochum, coincidentally the last team to beat Alonso’s side in all competitions. 

Leverkusen will lift the Meisterschale in front of their own fans against FC Augsburg, the team who held them to a goalless draw for 93 minutes in January. 

All in all, Leverkusen still have a lot of work to do as the season nears its end. 

Already heroes in the eyes of their fans, a flawless Bundesliga season would forever cement this team in German-football folklore.

  • Stuttgart put Leverkusen to the test once again

Leverkusen and Stuttgart’s clashes have been some of the most entertaining and evenly-contested matches of the season.

Both Bundesliga fixtures ended with a 2-2 scoreline this season, but these sides also reacquainted themselves in the DFB-Pokal in February.

In similar circumstances, it took a stoppage-time Jonathan Tah goal to ensure his side advanced to the semi-finals, an occurrence now all too familiar for VfB head coach Sebastian Hoeness.

As alluded to earlier, Guirassy had a big chance in the first half to find the back of the net. Lukas Hradecky’s point-blank denied the Guinean and ensured Leverkusen did not go 3-1 down.

Although a point is still an admirable thing to leave the BayArena with, Hoeneß will rue his side’s lapse in concentration to give away an unnecessary free-kick in the dying embers and Guirassy’s missed chances.

Of Leverkusen’s six draws, VfB are responsible for two of them. Pushing Alonso’s side to the very peak of their capabilities in the three encounters.

It is clear there is strong, mutual respect between the two coaches, who are likely to be placed in positions one and two in Germany’s Football Manager of the Year awards (Trainer des Jahres). 

Although Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich are in pole-position to finish second behind Leverkusen, there is an argument to be made that Stuttgart have posed the biggest challenge of the season across all competitions.

  • Leverkusen simply refuse to accept defeat

How Leverkusen became German champions is clear to see. Alonso’s side simply have an inexhaustible supply of will and determination to get results, whether wins or draws.

When Pascal Stenzel gave away a foul deep in the VfB half with Florian Wirtz on the set piece, there was an overwhelming feeling that the hosts were going to score and level the game.

Leverkusen are experts at scoring late in games, perhaps through a combination of both a desire to get a result and tiring backlines who have been put through the paces for 90 minutes.

Josip Stanišić’s headed equaliser against Borussia Dortmund was the 20th time Die Werkself scored after the 86th minute in all competitions this season. Andrich’s fourth goal of the season increased that tally to 21.

It has happened too often to be easily labelled as a coincidence or luck, but even Alonso himself does not have all the answers.

“It’s hard to explain, it’s kind of ridiculous. But for us, it feels great,’’ Alonso admitted to Archie Rhind-Tutt of ESPN.

Both goalkeepers produced vital saves and may have played a key part in salvaging a point for their sides, as Guirassy unusually failed to find the back of the net on a number of occasions.

 Despite claiming just one point from their last two matches, Stuttgart are on the cusp of capping their phenomenal season with a top-four finish and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 2010.

Since then, the five-time Bundesliga champions have been relegated to the 2.Bundesliga twice and finished in the 16th-placed play-off position in each of the last two seasons.

One of Germany’s Traditionsvereine, Stuttgart’s remarkable revival is undoubtedly a benefit for the Bundesliga.

The newly renovated Neckarstadion (MHP Arena for commercial reasons) will likely play host to Champions League fixtures next season.

Head Coach Hoeneß penned a contract extension to the end of the 26/27 season, alongside key players like Fuhrich and Enzo Millot, rejecting advances to fill the vacant position at Bayern.

Hoeneß’ work on an individual basis has been recognised on the international stage, as Maximillian Mittelstädt, Waldemar Anton, Führich and Undav all received minutes recently under Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann.

With just three more matches on the horizon, VfB sit in third place. Two points above the in-form Leipzig and seven ahead of Dortmund in fifth – a position which may prove to be enough for Champions League qualification. 

It is out of the frying pan and into the fire for Die Schwaben, who take-on Bayern Munich next week. VfB will be without Mittelstädt and Millot due to suspension from an accumulation of yellow cards.

Former Bayern youngster Angelo Stiller returns from a suspension of his own, in what promises to be another exciting clash at the top of the Bundesliga tree.