When Bayer Leverkusen succumbed to a 1-1 draw at Bochum on 9 November, it seemed the clock had struck midnight on their Cinderella story, and that their magical carriage had finally turned into a pumpkin.
By Zach Lowy
The same team that had won 43 of their 53 matches the previous season – accumulating more trophies (2) than losses (1) – had failed to win in six of their last eight. It was rock bottom, but it was also a turning point.
Since that stalemate, Leverkusen have won 11 of their last 12 matches, a run that only stopped on Tuesday in a 2-1 defeat at Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Champions League. They sit second in the Bundesliga table, four points behind Bayern Munich, and they’ll be counting on Patrik Schick as they look to continue their upward momentum with a win at RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Schick broke onto the scene as a teenager for Sampdoria, earning a €30 million transfer to Juventus – only for the move to break down after failing two separate medicals – before joining Roma, where he struggled to convince. The Czech forward enjoyed a promising loan spell at Leipzig before joining Bayer Leverkusen in September 2020 for €26.5 million, scoring 9 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances before skyrocketing in his second year at the BayArena with 24 goals in 27 appearances. But just when it seemed like he was set to become one of the best strikers in Europe, Schick missed nearly an entire year with an adductor injury, causing Leverkusen to sign Victor Boniface from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer of 2023.
Boniface started the campaign as the first-choice striker under Xabi Alonso, only to suffer a hamstring injury at the Africa Cup of Nations. With the Nigerian striker out for the foreseeable future, Schick worked his way back into Leverkusen’s line-up and played a pivotal role in their unbeaten domestic double. However, he was back to a bench role by the time the 2024/25 season rolled around and didn’t score a Bundesliga goal until the Bochum stalemate. A few days later, Boniface incurred a thigh injury on international duty, opening the door for Schick to reclaim his starting spot.
“Schick was fortunate with Boniface’s injury in that Alonso had no other option other than to rely solely on Schick, and that run in the team brought back his confidence and scoring streak,” said Bundesliga journalist Ronan Murphy. “Both are physical attackers, but Boniface is better driving at defenders and dribbling past them. Schick prefers to play a quick pass and get in behind whereas Boniface likes to play with his head up and use his skills to make space for a shot.”
Over the past year, Schick has developed a penchant for clutch moments. He single-handedly saved Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak twice in the span of a week – a 92nd-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw vs. Qarabağ and an extra time brace in a 3-2 win vs. Qarabağ – whilst he also scored an 88th-minute equaliser vs. Stuttgart to send the DFL-Supercup to penalties, where Leverkusen prevailed with another trophy. And on 23 November, he helped Leverkusen erase a two-goal deficit and beat Heidenheim 5-2 after scoring a hat-trick on his third league start of the campaign.
Whilst Schick has often been typified as a streaky, hot-and-cold player, he’s finally delivering on a regular basis for Leverkusen. After closing out 2024 with a poker vs. Freiburg, Schick has carried his form into the new year by grabbing a brace at Dortmund and a goal vs. Gladbach. Having scored 13 goals in 33 appearances last season, Schick has already registered 16 goals in 24 appearances this season in all competitions and sits atop the Bundesliga charts in goals per 90 (1.51) and shots on target per 90 (2.5). Only Harry Kane (16) and the now departed Omar Marmoush (15) have scored more goals in the Bundesliga this season than Schick (12), whilst only Wolfsburg’s Kevin Behrens (1.12) has registered more xG per 90 than Schick (0.94).
Standing at 6’3”, Schick has the physical capabilities to challenge for aerial duels, hold up the ball with his back to goal, and retain possession whilst riding tackles. His combination of physical prowess and tireless running allow him to close down opponents and press them for the ball – he’s winning 2.5 possessions in the final third per 90 in the UEFA Champions League, well ahead of Leverkusen’s second-best player in Florian Wirtz (1.5). What’s more, his clever movement allows him to catch defenders off guard and receive in dangerous situations, where he’s able to get a clean shot off without overthinking the finish. He’s also capable of linking up well with teammates, none more so than Wirtz. Wirtz has assisted Schick on 17 different occasions in the Bundesliga – since 2004/05, only Thomas Müller has provided more assists to a single teammate (Robert Lewandowski – 42).
“Schick has stayed patient, and even when he wasn’t the first-choice striker last season, he scored important goals,” said Bundesliga announcer Kevin Hatchard. “It’s also worth noting that Schick had a big meeting with Alonso two months into this season, and they discussed his lack of minutes. Since then, Schick says everything has been perfect. His form as a Bundesliga player has been consistently strong, he’s fitter and getting more chances to shine from the start, and in a team that dominates games routinely, he should continue to thrive.”
Boniface is finally back to full fitness after 10 weeks on the treatment table, but as long as Schick continues to bang in the goals, he’ll find it difficult to reacquire a place in Alonso’s starting line-up. After previously struggling with injuries and inconsistency, Schick is delivering the best form of his life at Leverkusen, and he’ll be looking to celebrate his birthday with yet another goal against Leipzig on Saturday, a day after turning 29.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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