Schick nets hat-trick as Bayer Leverkusen climb into top four with win over RB Leipzig | OneFootball

VfB Stuttgart’s dramatic draw away at TSG Hoffenheim was great news for both sides before the start of the game. With RB Leipzig’s win, Ole Werner’s side have the chance to qualify for the Champions League. If the hosts prevailed, Bayer Leverkusen would climb to the top four for the first time since matchday 22.

As a result, the game was an end-to-end affair from the first whistle. Leverkusen’s penalty-kick appeal for a handball was waved away by Tobias Welz before Rômulo Cardoso hit the sidenetting inside the first five minutes.

The visitors struggled to cope with Leverkusen’s quick attacks, although Rômulo had another golden chance when Aleix García cleared his shot from the goalline. At the other end, it was Jarell Quansah’s turn to hit the sidenetting.

There was no surprise that the first goal of the game came before the half-hour mark. Ex-Leipzig man Patrik Schick was at the right place for an easy finish after Mark Flekken’s precise long ball, Ibrahim Maza’s mazy run, and Nathan Tella’s unselfish play.

Leverkusen’s dominance continued as they created several chances in the next ten minutes. Maarten Vandevoordt denied the lively Tella before El Chadaille Bitshiabu’s clearance on the goalline to keep out Schick.

Max Finkgräfe, who scored his first goal in last week’s win over Union Berlin, came close to tying the game with an ambitious strike, but he narrowly missed the target. And, just before half-time, Leverkusen deservedly extended their lead.

Tella finally succeeded in beating Vandevoordt with a brilliant first-time finish from Aleix García’s inviting delivery. Werner made a couple of changes for the second-half as he looked for a quick reaction from his team.

However, Leverkusen still fashioned the best chances thanks to one of their best performances of the season. Schick had another opportunity to complete his brace minutes after Alejandro Grimaldo’s customary free-kick failed to deliver the desired effect.

Nonetheless, there was still time for Schick to score his fourth goal against his old club in the last three games. The Czech international netted his 15th goal of the season with a composed finish after yet another delightful play by Maza.

Somehow, Leipzig vastly improved after going 3-0 behind as Flekken finally had to make a few saves. Christopher Baumgartner did pull one back for the visitors with a well-placed header from Brjan Gruda’s delivery.

Leverkusen will face direct rivals Stuttgart away from home next week before finishing the season at home against HSV. Kasper Hjulmand’s side are currently level on points with both Stuttgart and Hoffenheim.

Schick completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute after a brief VAR check legalized his brilliant finish from another well-executed transition by the hosts. It’s his fifth hat-trick as all of them came at the BayArena.

Leipzig still hold a four-point advantage over these three teams as they only need to beat either St. Pauli or Freiburg. There is a possibility for five Bundesliga representatives in next season’s Champions League based on the results of FC Bayern and Freiburg this term.