Leverkusen crush Stuttgart 4-0 as Atletico await

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Leverkusens Josip Drmic celebrates after scoring  Swiss striker Josip Drmic scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen crushed bottom-placed VfB Stuttgart 4-0 on Friday to climb into third place in the Bundesliga with their third consecutive league win. Leverkusen, who travel to Atletico Madrid for their Champions League last-16 second leg next week, converted their first two chances of the game by netting twice in four minutes after Stuttgart had squandered the better scoring chances. Wendell made the most of a defensive misunderstanding to drill in from 15 metres in the 32nd minute with Drmic, gradually improving after a mediocre first season at Leverkusen, doubling their lead with a powerful close-range header. Germany international Karim Bellarabi then struck early in the second half, weaving his way into the box and slotting in from a tight angle for his 10th league goal before Drmic grabbed his second in an almost identical solo move. The result lifted Leverkusen into third on 42 points, one more than Borussia Moenchengladbach, who host Hanover 96 on Sunday. For Stuttgart, who were the better side for much of the first half, defeat means they are anchored in last place, two points behind 17th-placed Freiburg and five from safety. It could also spell the end of coach Huub Stevens' second spell at the 2007 Bundesliga champions, with the Dutchman being granted a stay of execution last week after a goalless draw against Hertha Berlin. Leaders Bayern Munich can open up a 14-point gap if they beat hosts Werder Bremen on Saturday, with second-placed VfL Wolfsburg in action against Freiburg on Sunday