Florian Wirtz delivered a standout performance and Patrik Schick scored four goals as Bayer Leverkusen triumphed over Freiburg 5-1 on Saturday, maintaining pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich as the winter break approaches.
Wirtz, who has not yet extended his contract with Leverkusen, assisted Schick’s hat trick and added his own seventh goal of the season. Despite dominating the match, Leverkusen had to wait until just before halftime for Schick to break the deadlock with a deft chip over the goalkeeper.
After the break, Wirtz showcased his exceptional skill, evading a defender and scoring from a tight angle. Freiburg’s Vincenzo Grifo managed to pull one back just four minutes later, but Wirtz responded by delivering a precise cross for Schick to head in Leverkusen’s third goal in the 67th minute. Wirtz then laid the ball back for Schick to net his fourth in the 74th minute. “For a striker, it’s a dream to have this player behind you,” Schick remarked about Wirtz.
Schick capped off his scoring spree with a header from a corner just three minutes later, marking the only goal of the match that did not involve Wirtz. With this victory, Leverkusen remains four points behind Bayern after securing their eighth consecutive win across all competitions.
Leverkusen will continue their league campaign against Borussia Dortmund on January 10, while Bayern faces Borussia Mönchengladbach on January 11.
Frankfurt’s Goalkeeper Struggles
In another match, Brazilian goalkeeper Kauã Santos had a challenging outing as Eintracht Frankfurt fell 3-1 to 10-man Mainz. Frankfurt dominated possession with 34 shots compared to Mainz’s nine, despite Mainz playing with a man down after captain Nadiem Amiri was sent off in the 21st minute for a foul.
Santos was responsible for an unfortunate own goal when a short pass to teammate Ellyes Skhiri was intercepted by Mainz players, leading to a deflection off the crossbar and back into the net. Mainz’s Paul Nebel then scored with a deflected shot to make it 2-0, and Santos was again at fault for a third goal following a poor pass that allowed another Mainz attack. Nebel netted his second goal in the 58th minute.
Rasmus Kristensen provided a glimmer of hope for Frankfurt with a goal in the 75th minute after hitting the crossbar earlier in the match. “We were already there for Kauã as a team on the field,” said Frankfurt defender Robin Koch, acknowledging Santos’ difficult day. “He’s a young player; these things happen. But he’s a good guy, and he’ll come out of it, which will help his development.”
Frankfurt’s regular goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and reserve Jens Grahl were unavailable due to illness.
Stuttgart Upset at Home
In a surprising result, Johannes Eggestein led promoted St. Pauli to a 1-0 victory over Stuttgart, last season’s runner-up, who had won their last four matches across all competitions.
Union Berlin extended their winless streak to nine games with a 4-1 defeat to Werder Bremen. Holstein Kiel ended a five-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over Augsburg, while Borussia Mönchengladbach secured a 2-1 win against Hoffenheim.
All matches featured a moment of silence in tribute to the victims of a recent attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg. “There are always more important things than football,” remarked Freiburg coach Christian Günter.
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