Champions kick off year with statement win

The Bundesliga curtain-raiser for 2025 was just 25 seconds old when reigning champions Leverkusen had something to celebrate. Dortmund were missing a number of their starting defenders, which is probably why Xabi Alonso's Werkself were instructed to pile early pressure on a back-line featuring youngsters Almugera Kabar and Yannik Lührs. The result? A forced error from Yan Couto, who boasts only slightly more experience than his defensive colleagues.

Nathan Tella was the beneficiary, and he made no mistake with the opportunity, hitting a powerful half-volley - clocked at over 100 km/h - into the top left corner to make it 1-0. This second-fastest goal of the season only shook BVB briefly, however, and Nuri Şahin's men dug in and combined well up front despite the early set-back.

But, in the eighth minute, Dortmund made another mistake. A long ball from Gregor Kobel was intercepted and ended up with Edmond Tapsoba. He conjured a superb pass in behind the home defence to send Piero Hincapié through on the left, and he in turn crossed into the box to find red-hot Czech striker Patrik Schick, who duly made it 2-0.

Watch: Highlights of a thrilling opening game of 2025

Then, before the Dortmund fans at the Signal Iduna Park could even start to worry, Die Werkself played several bad passes in a sloppy spell that culminated in Robert Andrich inadvertently slide-tackling the ball to Jamie Gittens in the area. The 21-year-old Englishman waited until Lukáš Hrádecký went down before deftly chipping the ball over the Finnish keeper to make it 2-1 with only 12 minute gone. Yes, the Bundesliga was back.

Schick unstoppable

But things were far from over there. Just six minutes later, Leverkusen were at it again. As had been the case with their second goal, Tapsoba played a ball deep, but this time it was Jeremie Frimpong who got on the end of it. The right wing-back was able to cross unchallenged, and once again Schick was ready in the centre to coolly slot home and make it 3-1. 

The Czech has scored all 11 of his goals this season over the last six Bundesliga matchdays, including no fewer than six in his last two outings alone. "I work hard every day, like everyone in the team," said the on-fire marksman in a bid to explain the scintillating form he and his side have been showing of late.

After experiencing some difficulties in front of goal earlier in the season, Leverkusen - and Schick in particular - are proving ruthless in attack. Die Werkself's third shot yielded their third goal inside just 19 minutes - a clinical display only previously seen in the club's record win in the Bundesliga, when they went on to beat Ulm 9-1 away from home in March 2000.

On this occasion, their xG by half-time stood at just 1.25, further underscoring that efficiency. What's more, Florian Wirtz wasn't even on the pitch - the ingenious playmaker only made his appearance after the hour-mark, subbed on for Schick.

Meanwhile, BVB looked the more dominant side, despite going a goal down, managing 77 percent possession in the first half. However, they fluffed their lines in front of goal, with Serhou Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi both denied by Leverkusen captain Hrádecký.

"Leverkusen were hugely impressive today," said Dortmund playmaker Julian Brandt after the game, with Alonso clearly of a similar mind: "We're very satisfied, very proud. We were in control without the ball today, were very focused and were then very efficient in front of goal."

Watch: Schick, Leverkusen's unsung hero 

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first. Dortmund dominated the game, while Leverkusen left the ball to the home side with great composure and continued to apply pressure with their counter-attacks. The tension ramped up once again after Guirassy scored from the penalty spot in the 79th minute, but Alonso's team weathered the storm as they held out against the valiant efforts of Şahin's patchwork team. 

"We were prepared for anything and didn't care who was playing for Dortmund - we had a clear plan. We managed to get an important win; we defended well," offered Schick after the game, before Alonso added his thoughts. "We held out with a good mentality until the last minute. It was a very good start to 2025."

Alonso's team are now unbeaten in the Bundesliga since Matchday 2, and have now won six Bundesliga games in a row – the best win streak of any Bundesliga club this season. What's more, the win in Dortmund was their ninth straight victory across all competitions, while they haven't lost a domestic game away from home since May 2023.

And winning in Dortmund is truly an achievement in itself. BVB boast the best home record in the league (20 points), and the last time they lost the first game of the year dates all the way back to 2004 - which was also when they last lost a Friday night fixture on their own turf, against Schalke.

All told, it was an accomplished performance from the champions, who were able to clearly re-establish themselves in the fight for the title by claiming all three points. Ahead of league leaders Bayern Munich's trip to bogey side Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, Leverkusen sit just one point behind the Bavarian giants.

"We're not looking at Bayern, just at ourselves. If we continue like this, then we are on the right track," said Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka, clearly looking to maximise the pressure Leverkusen are putting on Vincent Kompany's team. Die Werkself obviously want to maintain this state of affairs all the way through to 15 February, when the two heavyweights go face to face in Leverkusen. The Bundesliga started 2025 with a bang – and could get even more exciting from here!