International break has come at wrong time, says red-hot Leverkusen striker Schick

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SharePatrik Schick scored his fourth Bundesliga goal for Bayer Leverkusen this season, but play will now pause for the international break.Patrik Schick is not looking forward to the upcoming international break after his red-hot start to the Bundesliga season continued for Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday. 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 themselves 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 are unbeaten in four consecutive Bundesliga matches against Leipzig for the first time, winning each of their last three meetings, and they deserved their victory too. They finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.27 from their 18 shots, four of which came from Schick, compared to Leipzig's tally of 0.97 from 12 attempts. 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 2009-10.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 told DAZN."But overall, we did a really great job. Unfortunately, the international break is coming now."Leverkusen have scored at least twice in each of their 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 added. "The counter-pressing was good, we drew good fouls. We were very good defensively. It all came together."For Leipzig, however, their struggles away from home continued, as they have now lost four consecutive Bundesliga games on the road. The only time they have had a longer losing streak on the road was between April and August 2021 (five).They sit ninth with six points, which represents their worst start to a Bundesliga season since 2022-23, when they had five points from their opening four league matches. Leipzig are still a work in progress under new boss Martin Demichelis, though captain David Raum said his team must be more streetwise if they are 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."Patrik Schick scored his fourth Bundesliga goal for Bayer Leverkusen this season, but play will now pause for the international break.Patrik Schick is not looking forward to the upcoming international break after his red-hot start to the Bundesliga season continued for Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday. 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 themselves 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 are unbeaten in four consecutive Bundesliga matches against Leipzig for the first time, winning each of their last three meetings, and they deserved their victory too. They finished with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.27 from their 18 shots, four of which came from Schick, compared to Leipzig's tally of 0.97 from 12 attempts. 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 2009-10.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 told DAZN."But overall, we did a really great job. Unfortunately, the international break is coming now."Leverkusen have scored at least twice in each of their 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 added. "The counter-pressing was good, we drew good fouls. We were very good defensively. It all came together."For Leipzig, however, their struggles away from home continued, as they have now lost four consecutive Bundesliga games on the road. The only time they have had a longer losing streak on the road was between April and August 2021 (five).They sit ninth with six points, which represents their worst start to a Bundesliga season since 2022-23, when they had five points from their opening four league matches. Leipzig are still a work in progress under new boss Martin Demichelis, though captain David Raum said his team must be more streetwise if they are 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."