Bundesliga: Bayer crowns a fantastic year with a goal party

When a fantastic Leverkusen football year came to a crowning conclusion with another goal party, the championship heroes around young star Florian Wirtz were once again celebrated extensively by the Bayer supporters. “Thank you for the gift of our lives,” read a large poster after the 5-1 (1-0) win against SC Freiburg. Previously, exceptional artist Wirtz and four-time goalscorer Patrik Schick had once again put on a great show and kept the double winner in the race to defend their title in the Bundesliga.

“It had quality,” enthused sports director Simon Rolfes, for whom Bayer played like “a top team”. “We showed that again, even when we stupidly conceded 2-1. We kept pushing, showed strength and deserved to win.”

In the furious success, Schick excelled with four goals (45th + 1 minute/67th/74th/77th). Wirtz scored to make it 2-0 (55th) and also provided three assists for Bayer’s eighth competitive win in a row. “You notice how lightly he plays football, with how much joy, with how much creativity. An outstanding player. Every spectator who was in the stadium today enjoyed watching Florian play football again,” said Rolfes.

Even the opponent gave Wirtz huge praise. “Bayer Leverkusen and all of Germany are blessed with this player. The boy is a feast for the eyes. He feels like he does what he wants and it works. “You have to acknowledge something like that,” said Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch.

Wirtz only didn’t do a great job with the penalty

In addition, Wirtz failed with a penalty that he had taken himself because of the brilliantly parrying Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolo (33′). Only Vincenzo Grifo scored for Freiburg (55th).

Leverkusen thus ended the most successful calendar year in the club’s history in second place after 15 match days. With 32 points, coach Xabi Alonso’s team is the only team that can halfway follow league leaders Bayern Munich (36). At the end of the year, Freiburg is in the middle of the table with 24 points.

Bayer struggled at the start of the game because the guests played briskly and had good chances themselves. Philipp Lienhart hit the crossbar with a shot from the edge of the penalty area (11th). Only then did the master take more and more control of the game.

Everything goes through Wirtz

Whenever things got dangerous, Wirtz was involved. Almost every attack came from the 21-year-old, with whom Bayer would like to extend his contract, which runs until 2027, early. As managing director Fernando Carro revealed on Sky before the game, there is still no agreement.

After a good half hour, it was Wirtz who took a penalty kick. Ritsu Doan clearly fouled him in the penalty area. Wirtz competed himself and failed. But the artist continued to work his magic.

Shortly before the break, Bayer took the lead and again Wirtz was of course involved, who served the goalscorer Schick. The Cologne player has already collected at least one scorer point in the sixth game in a row. Schick, who had been extremely unfortunate until then, masterfully lifted the ball over Atubolu, who had no chance.

After the break, Schick turns up the heat

Immediately after the break, Wirtz showed his extra class again, letting Freiburg’s right-back Lucas Höler run into the void with a feint and humourlessly netting to make it 2-0. Freiburg quickly got close through Grifo, but Bayer remained on top of the field and dominated the game.

With his second goal, Schick made everything clear with his header. The soulful cross came – of course – from the outstanding Wirtz, who has long been celebrated as a “football god” by the Bayer supporters. The Leverkusen fans went even further and sang: “We will be German champions again.”

And the Wirtz-Schick show continued unabated. Wirtz also provided an assist for the Czech’s third goal. Only Alejandro Grimaldo finally made it 5-1. Leverkusen had been playing in a frenzy for a long time now.