Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick bagged a hat-trick on Saturday to help the German champions battle back from a two-goal deficit and crush Heidenheim 5-2 in the Bundesliga.
The Czech forward got the nod after Victor Boniface was ruled out with a muscle injury and he made the most of his chance as Leverkusen won their first match after three consecutive league draws.
It was only the second league win in their last seven games for Xabi Alonso’s team, who won the domestic double last season undefeated. With the champions contesting eight matches in four weeks, including their German Cup clash against Bayern Munich on Dec. 3, they have to contend with a crammed schedule.
Leverkusen, who first take on RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday, are on 20 points in fourth place, nine off leaders Bayern Munich, 3-0 winners over Augsburg on Friday, and one behind second-placed RB Leipzig, who lost 4-3 against Hoffenheim.
The hosts got off to a nightmare start, however, looking far from fresh following the international break, and quickly found themselves two goals down.
They were completely taken by surprise when Niklas Dorsch‘s powerful shot put the visitors in front after 10 minutes.
Mathias Honsak made it look easy when he powered into the box, dribbled past three Leverkusen players and drilled in to double their lead in the 21st.
Leverkusen, however, quick bounced back with two goals of their own to level before going into the break.
Exequiel Palacios turned well in the box, firing in from a tight angle on the half-hour mark before Schick chipped over the Freiburg keeper in the 32nd to get on to the scoresheet and level.
Leverkusen completed their comeback seven minutes after the restart with Florian Wirtz cutting back and Schick beating his marker to flick in the hosts’ third goal of the afternoon.
Nathan Tell then hit the woodwork a minute later as the hosts ramped up the pressure against deflated Heidenheim.
Schick completed his hat-trick, heading in a cross from Arthur in the 71st, and Granit Xhaka curled in their fifth goal from the edge of the box in the 82nd.
