PATRIK SCHICK scored a first-half brace as Bayer Leverkusen won 3-2 at a flu-hit Borussia Dortmund on Friday, closing the gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to one point.
Already struck by an injury crisis, illness ripped through Dortmund’s defence, with centre-backs Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck, along with left-back Ramy Bensebaini, ruled out just hours before kick-off as the Bundesliga restarted from the winter break.
The defending champions took advantage of Dortmund’s inexperienced defence early, scoring through Nathan Tella after just 25 seconds before Patrik Schick added another on the eight-minute mark.
English winger Jamie Gittens pulled one back but Schick restored Leverkusen’s two-goal lead shortly afterwards.
A late Serhou Guirassy penalty gave Dortmund hope but Leverkusen held on for their ninth straight win in all competitions, turning up the heat on Bayern, who travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso benched Florian Wirtz due to an “internal issue”.
Dortmund’s problems were less vague, with three first-choice centre-backs along with wing-backs Pascal Gross and Bensebaini missing.
Dortmund’s makeshift defence, including youngsters Almugera Kabar and Yannik Luehrs, was breached almost immediately.
England-born Nigeria winger Tella unleashed a superb strike into the top corner after Leverkusen pressed the nervous hosts into a mistake while playing out from the back.
The visitors quickly doubled their lead, Schick tapping in Piero Hincapie’s low cross.
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Dortmund dragged themselves back into the match just four minutes later when Gittens chipped in after Robert Andrich inadvertently poked the ball into his path.
Schick however added his second and Leverkusen’s third on the 19-minute mark, this time diverting in a cross from the right.
Schick, who started the season on the bench behind Victor Boniface, now has 11 goals in his past six league appearances.
With 11 minutes remaining, VAR awarded Leverkusen a penalty and Guirassy converted nervelessly from the spot to give the home side a shot at snatching an unlikely point, but Leverkusen held firm.
Champions League finalists last season, Dortmund have won just one of their past five Bundesliga fixtures and could finish the weekend as low as 10th.
In Serie A, Como ruined Lazio’s 125th-anniversary celebrations after coming away from Rome with a 1-1 draw against their hosts, who had to play for over half an hour with 10 men.
Patrick Cutrone earned his hometown team Como a point at the Stadio Olimpico when he bundled home Gabriel Strefezza’s cross in the 72nd minute.
The draw moves Como, who are owned by tobacco giant Djarum, up to 15th and two points above the relegation zone as the lakeside club bid for safety in their first top flight season in over two decades.
Cutrone netted his sixth goal of the campaign 14 minutes after Lazio forward Loum Tchaouna’s harsh second yellow card — his two bookings coming in a matter of seconds — for a challenge on Alberto Moreno.
Coach Cesc Fabregas will likely have to do without key attacker Nico Paz at AC Milan on Tuesday after the Argentina international hobbled off the field following a crunching studs-up challenge from Samuel Gigot.
Fourth-placed Lazio had led from the 34th minute through Boulaye Dia as the team and supporters celebrated the club’s foundation as a multi-sport club on February 9, 1900.
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Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen close in on Bayern Munich
PATRIK SCHICK scored a first-half brace as Bayer Leverkusen won 3-2 at a flu-hit Borussia Dortmund on Friday, closing the gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich to one point.
Already struck by an injury crisis, illness ripped through Dortmund’s defence, with centre-backs Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck, along with left-back Ramy Bensebaini, ruled out just hours before kick-off as the Bundesliga restarted from the winter break.
The defending champions took advantage of Dortmund’s inexperienced defence early, scoring through Nathan Tella after just 25 seconds before Patrik Schick added another on the eight-minute mark.
English winger Jamie Gittens pulled one back but Schick restored Leverkusen’s two-goal lead shortly afterwards.
A late Serhou Guirassy penalty gave Dortmund hope but Leverkusen held on for their ninth straight win in all competitions, turning up the heat on Bayern, who travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso benched Florian Wirtz due to an “internal issue”.
Dortmund’s problems were less vague, with three first-choice centre-backs along with wing-backs Pascal Gross and Bensebaini missing.
Dortmund’s makeshift defence, including youngsters Almugera Kabar and Yannik Luehrs, was breached almost immediately.
England-born Nigeria winger Tella unleashed a superb strike into the top corner after Leverkusen pressed the nervous hosts into a mistake while playing out from the back.
The visitors quickly doubled their lead, Schick tapping in Piero Hincapie’s low cross.
Dortmund dragged themselves back into the match just four minutes later when Gittens chipped in after Robert Andrich inadvertently poked the ball into his path.
Schick however added his second and Leverkusen’s third on the 19-minute mark, this time diverting in a cross from the right.
Schick, who started the season on the bench behind Victor Boniface, now has 11 goals in his past six league appearances.
With 11 minutes remaining, VAR awarded Leverkusen a penalty and Guirassy converted nervelessly from the spot to give the home side a shot at snatching an unlikely point, but Leverkusen held firm.
Champions League finalists last season, Dortmund have won just one of their past five Bundesliga fixtures and could finish the weekend as low as 10th.
In Serie A, Como ruined Lazio’s 125th-anniversary celebrations after coming away from Rome with a 1-1 draw against their hosts, who had to play for over half an hour with 10 men.
Patrick Cutrone earned his hometown team Como a point at the Stadio Olimpico when he bundled home Gabriel Strefezza’s cross in the 72nd minute.
The draw moves Como, who are owned by tobacco giant Djarum, up to 15th and two points above the relegation zone as the lakeside club bid for safety in their first top flight season in over two decades.
Cutrone netted his sixth goal of the campaign 14 minutes after Lazio forward Loum Tchaouna’s harsh second yellow card — his two bookings coming in a matter of seconds — for a challenge on Alberto Moreno.
Coach Cesc Fabregas will likely have to do without key attacker Nico Paz at AC Milan on Tuesday after the Argentina international hobbled off the field following a crunching studs-up challenge from Samuel Gigot.
Fourth-placed Lazio had led from the 34th minute through Boulaye Dia as the team and supporters celebrated the club’s foundation as a multi-sport club on February 9, 1900.
– © AFP 2025
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