Kai Havertz lights up Leverkusen amid hopes that trophy wait is nearing end | Andy Brassell


The future looks bright after Kai Havertz became the youngest Bundesliga player to reach 30 goals in win over Frankfurt

All things come to those who wait, and they certainly did for Bayer Leverkusen this weekend. They made it back into the top four. They did it by sweeping aside Eintracht Frankfurt who – after beating them 6-1 in the corresponding fixture last spring on their way to pipping Adi Hütter’s side to a Champions League spot – Peter Bosz’s side must have been desperately eager to face again here.

Perhaps most importantly they did it with a fresh, vital young lineup that they have been waiting some time to unleash. At long last the teenage Brazilian Paulinho made his first Bundesliga start, having arrived at the club from Vasco da Gama back in summer 2018. The moment matched the anticipation, with the 19-year-old scoring twice and creating another, earning gentle praise from his coach and leaving others wondering why it took so long for him to get his chance.

Related: European roundup: Lionel Messi leaves it late to put Barcelona top

Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich 2-0 Augsburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-2 Borussia Dortmund, Freiburg 3-1 Union Berlin, Hertha Berlin 2-2 Werder Bremen, Mainz 1-1 Fortuna Düsseldorf Paderborn 1-2 Köln, Schalke 1-1 Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg 0-0 RB Leipzig

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