ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, (Reuters) – Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz had been eagerly anticipating playing Champions League football and wasted no time seizing his opportunity on Thursday with two goals as his side handed hosts Feyenoord a 4-0 hammering at De Kuip.
The 21-year-old Wirtz had Leverkusen ahead in the fifth minute, taking advantage of a defensive slip with the help of teammate Robert Andrich, and then finished off a precision cross from Jeremie Frimpong to make it 3-0 after 36 minutes.
It was enough to see him named man of the match but what gave him greater delight was finally appearing in a Champions League encounter.
“Of course I’m happy about the award and my two goals. But what’s more important for me is that we won as a team,” he said.
“It was also very special for me to finally play in the Champions League. I’m looking forward to many more games this season. Hopefully a lot more.”
When Leverkusen last competed in the group phase two years ago, he was working his way back from a cruciate ligament injury.
Since then, Wirtz has gone on to become one of the top prospects in European football, featuring in every game last season as Leverkusen became the first side to complete a Bundesliga season unbeaten.
They romped to the league title, won the German Cup and also reached the Europa League final.
This season Wirtz has continued his fine form, already finding the back of the net three times in the Bundesliga and also scoring on international duty for Germany.
“I couldn’t have imagined that things would go so well. I’ve been really happy over the last few days and imagined that I would finally be playing in the Champions League. I’m pleased that I played like that and we played well as a team,” he added.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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