Werkself Review #B04FCH: Going into international break with 'good feeling'

Summary: Poacher's goals and acrobatic finishes

With three changes to the starting line-up, the Werkself made a perfect start, Patrik Schick netting the opening goal from a tight angle after just 72 seconds. It was an outstanding display from the hosts, who showed inventiveness and a cutting edge in front of goal. A Jonas Hofmann header, a Schick tap-in and an artistic finish on the turn from Ernest Poku made it 4-0 before the first half-hour was up. Ibrahim Maza's first Bundesliga goal completed a storming first half for the Werkself. And the 19-year-old also netted the final goal soon after the restart. The game quietened down after that, although Alejandro Grimaldo and first-team debutant Alejo Sarco both had good chances to get on the scoresheet in the closing stages.

• The full match report
• The highlights

Reaction: 'Continue with this pressing and intensity'

Coach Kasper Hjulmand was of course full of praise for his team afterwards: "We're very happy with the result today. It was very important for us, for our families and for the club. Now I hope all the players come back fit from their national teams, so that we can continue with this pressing and this intensity after the break."

Maza, meanwhile, spoke about his brace, among other things: "It feels very nice, especially when you can help the team. We played seriously until the end. It's important to go into the international break with a good feeling." Hofmann stressed: "We were fully there in every moment, it was a great display and the margin of victory was also deserved. But we have to be careful that we don't just praise ourselves. With all due respect to Heidenheim, we had to get three points today. That's our clear expectation. Now we'll recharge and then the games come thick and fast again after the international break."

What the paper say: 'A near-perfect performance' from the Werkself

kicker writes that Leverkusen left Heidenheim "no chance", adding: "The Werkself were too good for the visitors in every department and eased to a comfortable 6-0 victory. For FCH, meanwhile, it was their heaviest defeat in the Bundesliga." Bild came to the following conclusion: "Kasper Hjulmand's team produced a near-perfect performance and didn't give FCH a chance at any point in the match. The Swabians, on the other hand, had a terrible day and couldn't cope with Bayer's intensity. The break almost comes at a bad time for in-form Leverkusen." The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger described an "impressive achievement" and an "excellent Ibrahima Maza". In their player ratings, the Rheinische Post awarded the best marks to Edmond Tapsoba, Maza, Hofmann, Poku and Schick.

Personnel: Schick moves up goal ranking - Maza's first Bundesliga brace

The Werkself have never led 4-0 so early in a Bundesliga game as they did on Saturday. It was also only the second time in their top-flight history that Leverkusen have had a five-goal lead at half-time (previously 6-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt in March 2019). Someone who was instrumental is Schick, who followed on from his winner in the Champions League match at Benfica on Wednesday. The Czech forward opened the scoring against FCH after just one minute and 12 seconds - the quickest Bayer 04 in this Bundesliga campaign. The 29-year-old is now level with Dimitar Berbatov in fourth place in the list of Leverkusen's all-time highest goalscorers in the German top flight (both 69 goals) - Schick is also now the club's highest-scoring non-German player in the Bundesliga together with the Bulgarian!

There are further encouraging individual statistics from the other goalscorers in this eventful home game: Hofmann scored his second goal of the season, already equalling his tally from last season. Poku, who scored twice in a single game for Bayer 04 for the first time, has been directly involved in a goal in five of his last six Bundesliga appearances (four goals, two assists). And Maza not only scored his first goal for the Werkself in the top flight, but also scored his first ever brace in the Bundesliga.

But there were some impressive numbers away from the goalscorers on this day, too. Aleix Garcia, for example, played 165 passes - the highest figure for one player in the current Bundesliga campaign. Tapsoba set up two goals in the German top flight for the first time, providing more assists than he did in his previous 166 Bundesliga appearances put together (one). And Arthur also registered his first assist in the league this season. Finally, Sarco made his first-team debut having recently caught the eye in the U20 World Cup for Argentina. Congratulations, boys!

Statistics: Most passes played in one match this season

Bayer 04 have never won a Bundesliga home match by a higher margin. They previously managed a six-goal difference in the 7-1 win over SpVgg Greuther Fürth in 2021 and the 6-0 victory over 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2004. Furthermore, the Werkself played a total of 926 passes in this game, a new league high in a single fixture this season. The 25 shots on goal against Heidenheim was also the most the team have registered in a Bundesliga match this term. 

Up next: Last year international break of the year

After a busy few weeks, the last international break of 2025 is now upon us. Following that, Bayer 04 are back in action on Saturday 22 November (kick-off 15:30 CET) away to VfL Wolfsburg, which marks the start of another packed schedule up until Christmas in the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League.