Leverkusen are firing on all cylinders under Xabi Alonso and look good for a top-four finish

It took Bayer Leverkusen 50 minutes to find the back of the net at the Veltins Arena on Saturday afternoon, but there was never any doubt that Xabi Alonso’s side were likely to take all three points from Schalke. First came a back-post finish from Jeremie Frimpong, before a truly wonderful shimmy, drop of the shoulder and delicate finish from Florian Wirtz doubled the scoring 11 minutes later. By the time Sardar Azmoun thundered home a powerful header in stoppage time, Schalke had long since given up. 

In defence of the Royal Blues, Thomas Reis’ side aren’t the only team to buckle at the knees before Alonso’s rejuvenated Leverkusen team. Hertha Berlin, Werder Bremen and even Bayern Munich have been well beaten in recent months and over the course of the last five match days no team in Germany have picked up more points than Die Werkself. Which is why Leverkusen now sit just seven points off fourth place and why, as Wirtz suggested after Saturday’s match, the club “don’t want to rule out” Champions League qualification for next season.