Stiller is out: Stuttgart's midfield at Leverkusen
Angelo Stiller misses Stuttgart's trip to Leverkusen, so Atakan Karazor steps in. Both absence lists, the form, and what it means for the price.
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Angelo Stiller is out of Stuttgart's trip to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, and Atakan Karazor is expected to replace him in midfield, per Bundesliga.com, with an adductor injury. Stiller is Stuttgart's main passer from deep, so this is the absence that matters most against a side that has won every home game this season. Kick-off is 15:30 CET (14:30 UTC) at the BayArena. BAI8 published a researched call on the match before kick-off; this piece is the team news behind it.
Is Angelo Stiller playing for Stuttgart
No. He is one of seven Stuttgart absentees, per Bundesliga.com:
| Stuttgart out | Reason | Leverkusen out | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angelo Stiller | Adductor | Badé | Head |
| Zagadou | Hamstring | Ben Seghir | Hamstring |
| Vagnoman | Hamstring | Diaby | Hamstring |
| Diehl | Thigh | Doué | Calf |
| Malanga | Abdominals | Eichhorn | Ill |
| Sauer, Tomás | Muscular | Kofane | Thigh |
| Terrier | Muscular |
Bundesliga.com's probable Stuttgart midfield pairs Karazor with Prömel, behind El Khannouss, Undav and Führich, with Demirović up front.
Karazor is a more defensive midfielder than Stiller. The trade is usually less control on the ball and more cover in front of the back four, which can suit an away side at a ground where the home team keeps winning.
Form going in
Carles Martínez's Leverkusen came from behind to beat Nürnberg 5–2 in the DFB-Pokal in midweek, with captain Edmond Tapsoba scoring his first brace for the club, and they have won every home game this season, per Bayer 04. Stuttgart are 15th in the Bundesliga but sixth in the Champions League table, and needed a last-minute goal to beat Paderborn 1–0 in the cup despite playing against ten men, per Bayer 04's preview.
What it does to the price
A missing deep-lying midfielder rarely moves a price as much as a missing striker or goalkeeper. The bigger effect is often on the draw and on totals, because a more cautious midfield tends to mean fewer chances both ways. Our general view on how team news enters a call is in how to bet on football with a model, and the rest of Saturday's Bundesliga games are listed in Saturday football predictions: our 17 Desk calls.
What this does not tell you
It does not say who wins or what the Desk thinks; that call is for members until kick-off. Team news can still change before the line-ups are named, an hour before the game.
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Common questions
Is Angelo Stiller playing for Stuttgart at Leverkusen?
No. Stiller is on Stuttgart's absence list for Saturday, and Atakan Karazor is expected to take his place in midfield, per Bundesliga.com.
When is Leverkusen v Stuttgart?
Saturday 31 October 2026 at 15:30 CET (14:30 UTC) at the BayArena, in the Bundesliga.
Does BAI8 have a call on Leverkusen v Stuttgart?
Yes, but it is members-only on the Desk, so this piece has no BAI8 number.