Euro-Star: Wirtz the focus after role in Bayer Leverkusen's title triumph

 

Euro-Star is back to take a look at the best rated performance from across Europe this weekend. Having run through the Premier League team of the week, where Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon of Chelsea and Newcastle, respectively, shone, the idea is to give focus to those who excelled outside of England last time out. 

 

We put the vote to our X following, with Florian Wirtz's stunning showing in Bayer Leverkusen's 5-0 win over Werder Bremen taking a whopping 87.9% of the vote. 

 

 

It was a party atmosphere at the BayArena on Sunday as Bayer Leverkusen closed in on their first ever Bundesliga title. Heading in at the break 1-0 up courtesy of a Victor Boniface penalty midway through the first half, Xabi Alonso decided to ring the changes for the second half to get his side over the line. 

 

Amine Adli endured a sub-par opening 45 minutes and was replaced for the second half by Florian Wirtz, who continued his stunning season to wrap up the title for Alonso's side. 

 

Prior to Sunday's welcome of Werder Bremen, Wirtz had scored eight times in Germany's top tier this term. In a stunning turn of events, the Germany international went on to bag a second half hat-trick, become the first player since a certain Erling Haaland in January 2020 to net a Bundesliga hat-trick off the bench. 

 

The 20-year-old hit the back of the net with three of his five shots and managed to find a teammate with 96.2% of his 26 total passes during a fine 45-minute cameo. Wirtz also managed two interceptions, one key pass and one successful dribble to really get the party started in Leverkusen. 

 

Not only did Wirtz's hat-trick guarantee a resounding victory for Bayer Leverkusen, but in the process he became the first player to register double figures for both goals (11) and assists (10) in the Bundesliga this season, and the second player in Europe's top five leagues to reach the milestone after Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. 

 

Wirtz's performance on Sunday was enough to return a WhoScored rating of 9.40, that the best by a sub in the Bundesliga this season, as Bayer Leverkusen chase down the treble. Next up is the trip to West Ham in the Europa League and fans are hoping they can prolong their unbeaten campaign in east London on Thursday night.

Euro-Star: Wirtz the focus after role in Bayer Leverkusen's title triumph