What's at stake

Three points for a win or one for a draw decide immediate league points and affect both clubs' positions in the table.

Beyond standings, the result shapes the run of form, influences goal-difference tiebreakers, and changes momentum during a crucial stretch of the season.

Who's in play

Stuttgart's forwards and backline cohesion versus Leverkusen's attackers and creative midfield will determine where scoring chances come from.

Coaches' substitutions, the starting goalkeeper, and the match referee's key decisions are direct, named-level factors that can alter the final score.

What drives it

Tactics, pressing intensity, and formation switches control which team dominates possession and where chances originate.

Injuries, recent form, set-piece execution, and pitch or weather conditions shift in-game probability, as do red cards, early goals, or VAR interventions.

What to watch

Kickoff and the first 15 minutes typically reveal which side grabs control; an early goal or sustained pressure changes the market quickly.

Also watch the announced lineups, prematch injury updates, substitution patterns around 60–75 minutes, and any VAR reviews or penalties that could swing the outcome.