BERLIN: Deniz Undav set up two goals for Germany teammate Jamie Leweling and grabbed one of his own as Stuttgart cruised to a 4-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.
Another Germany international, Maximilian Mittelstaedt, converted a first-half penalty for the visitors while Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo pulled one back from the spot in the second half.
The victory took the German Cup holders level on 29 points with third-placed RB Leipzig, but in fifth spot, one behind Leverkusen, on goal difference.
Stuttgart arrived in Leverkusen having won just one of the past 31 games in all competitions between the sides dating back to 2010, but were brilliant and led 4-0 at half-time.
Leweling poked home from close range after seven minutes. Undav set up Leweling to score again with 16 minutes gone, but the former Brighton man was offside.
Mittelstaedt converted a penalty just before the half-hour mark. Undav once again found Leweling to score just before half-time and added another two minutes into stoppage time as Stuttgart grabbed control of the match.
Playing his first league match since November, Grimaldo gave the scoreline a bit of respectability with a 66th-minute penalty after Malik Tillman was felled in the box.
Freiburg came from a goal down to beat Hamburg 2-1 at home, with the visitors playing most of the second half with 10 men.
Tottenham loanee Luka Vuskovic put Hamburg in front just after half-time but Freiburg scored twice through Vincenzo Grifo and Igor Matanovic after Daniel Elfadli picked up a second yellow on the 51st-minute mark.
The victory took Freiburg four points outside the European placings.
In the German capital, last-placed Mainz played out a 2-2 draw against Union Berlin, with visiting coach Urs Fischer managing his first match against his former side.
Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri and former Union forward Benedict Hollerbach took the visitors to a two-goal lead but Jeong Woo-yeong and Danilho Doekhi scored inside the final 15 minutes to level things up.
Mainz are unbeaten in five games in all competitions since Fischer was appointed in early December, including a memorable 2-2 draw at league leaders Bayern Munich.
During an impressive five-and-a-half-year stint at Union, Fischer lifted the club from the second division to a maiden promotion and a season in the Champions League.
Elsewhere, Heidenheim picked up a valuable point in a 2-2 home draw with Cologne.
Two of Saturday’s matches — Leipzig’s visit to St. Pauli and Werder Bremen’s home clash with Hoffenheim — were postponed due to heavy snowfall across northern Germany.
On Sunday, Bayern can extend their lead atop the table over Borussia Dortmund to 11 points with a win at home against Wolfsburg.
Dortmund were held 3-3 at Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
Undav calls shots as Stuttgart thump Leverkusen
https://arab.news/8c49d
Undav calls shots as Stuttgart thump Leverkusen
- Maximilian Mittelstaedt, converted a first-half penalty for the visitors while Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo pulled one back
- The victory took the German Cup holders level on 29 points with third-placed RB Leipzig
Saudi Pro League warns Al-Nassr’s Ronaldo no player is bigger than club
- Ronaldo did not take part in the club’s SPL win at Al-Riyadh on Monday and is now set to miss Friday night’s clash against Al-Ittihad
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League has warned Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo that “no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club” amid doubts over his future at Al–Nassr.
Ronaldo, reportedly unhappy at the club’s lack of transfer activity, did not take part in the club’s Saud Pro League win at Al-Riyadh on Monday and is now set to miss Friday night’s clash against Al-Ittihad.
In a statement issued to BBC Sport, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson said: “The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules.
“Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.”
The 40-year Ronaldo missed Al-Nassr’s match against Al-Riyadh on Monday amid reports he is on strike over the club’s lack of transfer activity.
Portuguese media outlet A Bola reported that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was unhappy that Al-Nassr, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, has not strengthened its squad as it challenges for the league title.
“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al–Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition,” the Saudi Pro League spokesperson said.
“Like any elite competitor, he wants to win.
“But no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club.
“Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.”
The Saudi Pro League spokesperson added: “The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.
“The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”
