Atubolu saves Wirtz’s penalty
©IMAGO
Standout performer Florian Wirtz and four-time goalscorer Patrik Schick keep German champion and cup winner Bayer Leverkusen in the race to defend their Bundesliga title. In the furious 5:1 (1:0) against SC Fribourg, Schick stood out with four goals (45th + 1/67th/74th/77th). Wirtz scored to make it 2-0 (55th minute) and also provided three assists for Bayer’s eighth consecutive competitive victory.
Wirtz also failed on a penalty that he had taken himself, but Friborg goalkeeper Noah Atubolo brilliantly parried (33rd). Only Vincenzo Grifo scored for Friborg (55th).
Leverkusen thus ends the most successful calendar year in the club’s history in second place after 15 matchdays. With 32 points, coach Xabi Alonso’s team is the only one that can reasonably follow the championship leader, Bayern Munich (36). At the end of the year, Freiburg sits in the middle of the table with 24 points.
Bayer struggled early in the match as the visitors played lively and had some 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.
Whenever things got dangerous, Wirtz was involved. Almost all the attacks came from the 21-year-old, with whom Bayer would like to extend his contract early, which runs until 2027. As general manager Fernando Carro revealed to “Sky” before the match, he There is still no agreement.
After a little over half an hour, it was Wirtz who took a penalty. Ritsu Doan clearly fouled him in the penalty area. Wirtz fought and failed. But the artist continued to work his magic.
Shortly before the break, Bayer took the lead and of course Wirtz was involved, who served the scorer Schick. The Cologne player has already collected at least one goal point in the sixth consecutive match. Schick, who had been extremely unhappy up to that point, masterfully lifted the ball over Atubolu, who had no chance.
Immediately after the break, Wirtz once again showed extra class by letting Freiburg right-back Lucas Höler escape into space with a feint and scoring humorlessly to make it 2-0. Freiburg quickly moved closer thanks to Grifo, but Bayer remained at the front of the pack and dominated the match.
With his second goal, Schick made it all clear with his head. The moving cross came – of course – from the exceptional Wirtz, who has long been celebrated as a “(Site notre bureau spécialisé) god” by Bayer fans. 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 with frenzy for a long time.
