Bayer Leverkusen: Patrik Schick scores after 284 days – praise from Rolfes

Boniface will be missing at the beginning of 2024

Patrik Schick’s first route led to the bank. But not to his coach Xabi Alonso or one of his colleagues, no, after his redeeming comeback goal, the Czech striker from Bayer Leverkusen ran straight to Dr. Karl-Heinrich Dittmar too. The team doctor followed the 27-year-old closely during his year-long ordeal. Shortly afterwards all the players followed and Schick sank into a cheering crowd.

“It was very emotional to be able to celebrate with the staff and players after such a long time,” said Schick after scoring his first goal in 284 days with the goal to make it 2-0 against Swedish Cup winners BK Häcken (74th). had achieved. “The fact that he scored was important for the soul, for the head and the heart,” said sports director Simon Rolfes. And Alonso explained: “This was an important step for him. And a beautiful moment for everyone. He had to fight a lot to get fit again.”

Rolfes about Schick: “Will be a very, very important player this season”

This means that the only unbeaten team from Europe’s top leagues this season has three options for the storm center: In addition to regular player Victor Boniface (22) and his backup Adam Hlozek (21), Schick is also back. “I haven’t played in so long. It’s not easy to come back after such a long injury,” said the attacker, who was the second-best Bundesliga goalscorer in the 2021/22 season with 24 goals. “I came back once, then there were problems again. That’s why I’m very happy to have scored a goal. Now it continues.” On Sunday, BVB will be in the BayArena from 5:30 p.m.

Strictly speaking, Schick has even had two stopped comebacks. After he was out from the beginning of November 2022 to mid-February 2023, the season was over for him after six substitutions. After his two-game return in October 2023, he was again not in the squad for five competitive games. Until Thursday in the fifth Europa League group game in the venerable Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg in sleet and minus two degrees – Schick came on in the 63rd minute and scored eleven minutes later.

“He has the goalscoring gene in his blood. You could see that too, he was right there,” said Rolfes and added: “He’s going to be a very, very important player this season.” Especially right after the winter break, when he’s for 20.5 million euros Boniface, who came on a transfer from Union SG, will play with Nigeria in the Africa Cup. The Bundesliga table leader, who has won 18 of 19 games this season with a goal difference of 64:14 and only played 2-2 at FC Bayern, is now the only Europa League team with a perfect result. Until Thursday, Schick had hardly been able to contribute, but this time the comeback should be sustainable. The Czech’s contract was extended until 2027 in May 2022.

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