Schick rues international break timing

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Leverkusen moved up to fifth in the table with a 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig at the BayArena, with Miguel Gutierrez starring for the hosts after notching a goal and an assist. 

After a difficult start, Leverkusen got ahead through Schick in the 44th minute, with the Czechia forward volleying past Maarten Vandevoordt from Gutierrez's cross. 

Gutierrez then sealed the win just before the hour, with his left-footed drive slipping under Vandevoordt's grasp.

Leverkusen is unbeaten in four consecutive Bundesliga matches against Leipzig for the first time, winning each of its last three meetings.

Schick has scored on each of the first four matchdays of a Bundesliga season for the first time, becoming the first Leverkusen player to do so since Stefan Kiessling in 2009-2010.

His four-game scoring streak also equals the 30-year-old's personal record in the competition, previously achieved in August and September 2021, though he felt he could have netted more before the season stops for  a three-week international break. 

"I could have scored two or three more goals," Schick said. "But overall, we did a really great job. Unfortunately, the international break is coming now."

Leverkusen has scored at least twice in each of its first six matches in all competitions under Carles Martinez Novell, while the Spaniard is the first Werkself boss since Rudi Voller in 2000 to keep a clean sheet in each of his first three home matches in all competitions.

"Defensively, we did exactly what we set out to do," Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken said. "The counter-pressing was good, we drew good fouls. We were very good defensively. It all came together."

For Leipzig, however, its struggles away from home continued, as it has now lost four consecutive Bundesliga games on the road.

It sits ninth with six points, which represents its worst start to a Bundesliga season since 2022-2023, when it had five points from its opening four league matches. 

Leipzig is still a work in progress under new boss Martin Demichelis, though captain David Raum said his team must be more streetwise if it is to succeed this season. 

"To a certain extent, we're still a young team, where a bit of that scumbag [mentality] is missing," Raum said. "But we'll keep at it."