Florian Wirtz scored twice in the first half as Bayer Leverkusen strolled to a dominant 5-0 Champions League win over Red Bull Salzburg.
Alex Grimaldo, Patrik Schick and substitute Aleix Garcia also netted as Xabi Alonso’s side made it three wins from five in the new-look competition.
Wirtz opened the scoring with a clinical eighth-minute penalty after Samson Baidoo handled, and Grimaldo quickly added a second with a dipping left-footed free-kick.
5 goals. 5 games. Florian Wirtz. A serious baller.
37′ | 3-0 | #B04SAL #UCL @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/pczFgS0NgK
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) November 26, 2024
Things quickly went from bad to worse for Salzburg as striker Karim Konate twisted awkwardly and had to be replaced by Dorgeles Nene. Konate emerged on crutches during the second half.
Alexander Schlager saved Grimaldo and Granit Xhaka’s fierce left-footed drives in quick succession but Wirtz shimmied his way through to stroke home the third on the half-hour.
Schlager denied Jeremie Frimpong and Exequiel Palacios but still Leverkusen reached half-time three goals to the good.
Salzburg boss Pep Lijnders resorted to a half-time triple change, Stefan Bajcetic, Mads Bidstrup and Daouda Guindo replacing midfielders Lucas Gourna-Douath and Bobby Clark and full-back Aleksa Terzic.
Schick headed Frimpong’s cross just wide but met another delivery from the winger shortly after the hour mark to nudge home his fifth goal in three games – but his first ever in the Champions League.
Alonso made a triple substitution of his own and one of the newcomers, Garcia, also opened his Champions League account when he met Wirtz’s cutback with a firm side-foot through the grasp of Schlager for number five.
Teenage Ukrainian striker Artem Stepanov was immediately given a senior debut in place of Schick before another 17-year-old, Francis Onyeka, replaced Wirtz.
Grimaldo’s late blast was tipped away as Leverkusen remained untroubled.
