Schick and Diaby secure UCL qualification, TSG miss out on Europe

Hoffenheim 2-4 Leverkusen
Goals 1-0 Rutter 22' (assist: Baumgartner), 1-1 Schick 34' (assist: Diaby), 2-1 Baumgartner 36' (assist: Kaderabek), 2-2 Diaby 73' (assist: Schick), 2-3 Schick 76' (assist: Aranguiz), 2-4 Alario 91' (assist: Palacios)

Hoffenheim went into the penultimate weekend with their European aspirations hanging in the balance, while Leverkusen would guarantee a top-three finish - and Champions League football next term - with victory. And it was the hosts that seized the initiative first, taking the lead midway through the first half. Piero Hincapie was caught in possession by Christoph Baumgartner, who pulled back for Georginio Rutter to tuck home and give Hoffenheim's continental hopes a jolt. Sluggish up until then, Leverkusen finally kicked into gear after going behind and Schick had his side level with a well taken finish from Diaby's cross to make it 1-1. But Hoffenheim were back in front within two minutes as Baumgartner headed home from a yard out.

Hincapie made way for Mitchell Bakker at the break for the visitors as Gerardo Seoane looked to breathe life into his side that were some way short of their best in the opening period. They started with greater purpose and Charles Aranguiz dragged narrowly wide from the edge of the box just moments after the resumption. Diaby also went close with 25 minutes to go but his effort from the right also flashed the wrong side of the far post. The Frenchman eventually found a second equaliser for his side as Lucas Alario and Schick cleverly combined to tee up Diaby from close range. And Schick completed the turnaround with just under quarter of an hour to play with a superb finish. The Czech striker wriggled beyond his marker on the edge of the box before cooly rounding Oliver Baumann and sliding into an empty net. Alario added a fourth in injury-time as Leverkusen sealed third place and denied Hoffenheim a European spot in the process.

• Defeat ended TSG's three-game unbeaten home run against Leverkusen at the PreZero Arena (W2, D1).
• While Baumgartner found the back of the net for the seventh time in the league this term, his assist for the opener was just the 22-year-old's second provision.
• Schick now has 24 Bundesliga goals for the campaign – a total twice achieved in Leverkusen colours by Ulf Kirsten. The club record is 25 by Stefan Kießling in 2012/13.
• Their opener was Leverkusen's 38th away from home and, with 40 by the end of 90 minutes, Die Werkself have set a new club record for the most scored on their travels in a single Bundesliga campaign.
• Bayer have also now registered 78 goals in the league in 2021/22, setting another new single season record.
• Diaby's assist for Schick was his 12th of the campaign, before he then made it 13 goals for the season. He and compatriot Christopher Nkunku are the only Bundesliga players with double digits for both goals and assists this season.

Watch: Seoane: "A very important step for the club"

Hoffenheim: Baumann (c) – Kaderabek, Posch, Vogt, Raum – Baumgartner (Rudy 69'), Samassekou (Bruun Larsen 78'), Stiller – Rutter (Bebou 55'), Dabbur (Skov 70'), Kramaric
Unused subs: Philipp, Adams, Akpoguma, Che
Out: Hübner (back), John (shoulder), Nordtveit (hamstring), Richards (thigh), Geiger (shin), Bicakcic
Coach: Sebastian Hoeneß

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) – Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie (Bakker 46') – Aranguiz, Andrich (Palacios 64') – Diaby, Azmoun (Alario 64'), Paulinho (Baumgartlinger 84') - Schick (Sinkgraven 84')
Unused subs: Lunev, Grill, Frimpong
Out: Adli (Achilles), Bellarabi (thigh), Fosu-Mensah (thigh), Frimpong (ankle), Sertdemir (groin), Wirtz (knee), Demirbay (foot)
Coach: Gerardo Seoane