What the papers say: 'Heel, toes, Bailey!'

The Bild am Sonntag marvels: "Wow, Bailey! Leverkusen win 4-1 at Hoffenheim. Involved in three of the four goals: Leon Bailey (20). His goal to make it 1-0 on 43 minutes was wonderful: Bailey receives the ball in the box and scores from eleven yards out with a back-heel – get in! Bailey to the Bild am Sonntag: 'I didn't have any other option as I had my back to goal.' " And the Bild am Sonntag was not only impressed by Bailey. In addition to the Jamaican, the tabloid also picked out Lars Bender, Charles Aránguiz and Lucas Alario for their 'Team of the Day.'

For  the Welt am Sonntag Leon Bailey was "the man who made the difference in the end."

The Kölner Stadt Anzeiger highlighted one special statistic: "Bayer 04 have scored in 24 consecutive games in the Bundesliga. With the 4-1 win at Hoffenheim, Leverkusen established the longest run for any team in the Bundesliga and set a club record.“ In the match analysis, the journal reports: "First things first: After the expected home defeat against FC Bayern, Bayer 04 Leverkusen immediately returned to winning ways with a 4-1 away win at Hoffenheim. Thanks to this impressively achieved success and Leipzig losing at Freiburg at the same time, the team under coach Heiko Herrlich are - at least until Sunday afternoon - second behind the  runaway title defenders from Munich." And the Stadt Anzeiger also nominated Leon Bailey as the man of the match: "Obviously Leon Bailey! And Leon Bailey once more! Nearly every move involving the Jamaican was a feast for sore eyes. A spectacular back-heel goal, two impressive assists, a number of irresistible solo runs, regaining possession going back - there was nothing to complain about."

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung sums up the game as follows: "All in all, it was an intense but also very often intricate encounter between two teams who are not renowned for throwing caution to the wind. The credo for coaches Heiko Herrlich and Julian Nagelsmann is taking the concept of playing football at it's supposed to be. However, the first half was deadlocked for much of the time, with the two teams cancelling each other out with strong challenges from both sides upsetting the flow of the game again and again. Bayer looked better, thanks to their structured approach, but were rarely able to make progress in the final third. Just as it looked half time would come with the score at 0-0, came Bailey's big moment through a combination good fortune and Hoffenheim negligence. A goal, like the one from the Jamaican that put Leverkusen 1-0 up with a back-heel from a stationary start, is not a common sight. And last but not least, because this Bailey went on to produce several examples of his extra class, Bayer were able to extend the lead after the break with goals from Julian Baumgartlinger (51') and two goals from Lucas Alario (70'/90+3'). The 20-year-old Bailey has now clocked up seven goals and six assists - a discovery and attraction for the Bundesliga, with Leverkusen climbing up second in the table after the 4-1 win, at least until the Schalke game on on Sunday."

The Tagesspiegel reports: "Bayer Leverkusen were once again mesmerising with a back-heel goal from Leon Bailey. With his opener just before half-time, the Jamaican paved the way for the 4-1 victory at TSG Hoffenheim. In the clash between the two Europa League aspirants in the Bundesliga on Saturday, the team coached by Heiko Herrlich were smarter and more fortunate than the team under Julian Nagelsmann, who twice hit the bar."

The Berliner Morgenpost declares: "Leon Bailey continues to make his mark on the Bundesliga. With a spectacular, back-heel goal before the half-time break, the Jamaican player at Bayer Leverkusen started the ball rolling for the 4-1 win at 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday."

The Express, under the headline 'Heels, toes, Bailey!', writes ecstatically: "Boom-boom Bayer! Leverkusen set down a clear marker are now on course for the Champions League. The outstanding player in the 4-1 runaway victory at Hoffenheim was once again the wizard on the wing Leon Bailey (20). This rocket can't be stopped. Leon Bailey has produced the next out-of-this-world performance. Bayer's brightest star, almost single-handed, saw off Hoffenheim who have been incredibly strong at home with just one home defeat in the whole of 2017. Two assists and one goal scored - with a stroke of genius. From a cross by Julian Brandt, the Reggae Boy cheekily back-heeled the ball in to the net from eleven yards out. A wonder strike! It was Bailey's fifth away goal and no other Bundesliga player has scored more on his travels."

The WAZ quotes the Werkself coach in its report: "I've never scored such a great goal as that," conceded Heiko Herrlich. And the former Bundesliga striker and current Bayer Leverkusen coach marvelled at Leon Bailey's back-heel goal. The high-flyer from Jamaica set the Werkself on course for their 4-1 win at 1899 Hoffenheim with his moment of brilliance on 43 minutes.“

The Kicker writes: "Sinsheim remains  a good hunting ground for Bayer Leverkusen. In the tenth Bundesliga match at TSG Hoffenheim, the 4-1 win for the Rhinelanders on Saturday afternoon was their seventh victory an takes them up to second in the table for the time being at least. Bayer - driven on by the impressive Bailey - were much more effective than the the hardworking Hoffenheim side who were unlucky to hit the bar twice."