Patrik Schick scored four goals as Bayer Leverkusen romped to a 5-1 victory at home to Freiburg in their final match before the winter break.
The win left Leverkusen in second place in the Bundesliga table, four behind Bayern Munich, who signed off before Christmas with a 5-1 victory over RB Leipzig on Friday.
Xabi Alonso’s side went a goal up at the BayArena through Shick, with a delightful lob over Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu in first-half stoppage time.
Atubolu had earlier saved Florian Wirtz’s penalty in the 33rd minute, but was beaten here. The hosts then went goal crazy in the second half, with Wirtz making up for failing to convert his penalty by doubling Leverkusen’s lead with a close-range finish six minutes into the second half.
Freiburg were given a glimmer of hope when Vincenzo Grifo got them back into it four minutes after Wirtz’s goal, but Schick killed the game as a contest single-handedly after that.
The Czech international made it 3-1 after heading in from Wirtz’s cross in the 67th minute and had his hat-trick seven minutes later, again linking up with Wirtz.
His fourth came 13 minutes from the end, through another header to complete the rout.
HUGE END TO 2024!
90+2′ | 5-1 | #B04SCF pic.twitter.com/1MbYdxMsMw
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) December 21, 2024
Data debrief: Schick goes goal crazy for in-form Leverkusen
This was a fifth straight league victory for defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, which is their longest winning streak since April.
Schick, meanwhile, has now scored nine league goals for Leverkusen this season, which is more than any of his team-mates.
Wirtz is also on seven assists this season, following his three against Freiburg, and no player in the Bundesliga has more.
