Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso, VfB Stuttgart, Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeneß from

Stuttgart vs Leverkusen: Alonso's Stuttgart claims famous win over 10-man Leverkusen, Bayern Munich keeps chasing

Stuttgart halts Bayer Leverkusen's impressive run

Bayer 04 Leverkusen's chance to move to within two points of Bayern Munich was dashed after suffering a 2-0 defeat against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. Leverkusen, who started the weekend in third place, was in control of the game in the opening stages but fell behind to Gil Dias's 28th-minute strike. Stuttgart doubled its lead shortly after the break when Naouirou Ahamada fired in from distance. Leverkusen's task became even more difficult when Piero Hincapie was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 69th minute. The defeat leaves Leverkusen in fourth place, three points behind second-placed Bayern Munich, who beat Bochum 3-0 on Saturday.

Stuttgart ends four-game losing streak

Stuttgart's win ended a four-game losing streak and moved the team up to 15th place. It was Stuttgart's first win under new coach Xabi Alonso, who replaced Pellegrino Matarazzo last month. Alonso was delighted with the performance of his players. "I'm very happy with the result and the performance," he said. "We played with a lot of intensity and passion. We created a lot of chances and we could have scored more goals. "It's a great win for us and it gives us a lot of confidence."

Bayer Leverkusen's disappointing result

Leverkusen was disappointed with the result, but coach Gerardo Seoane remained positive. "We didn't play well today," he said. "We made too many mistakes. We didn't create enough chances and we didn't defend well. "But we have to learn from this and move on. We have a big game against Bayern Munich next weekend and we need to be ready."

What's next for Stuttgart and Leverkusen?

Stuttgart will travel to face Augsburg next weekend, while Leverkusen will host Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich will be looking to extend its lead at the top of the table, while Leverkusen will be aiming to bounce back from its disappointing defeat.