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Florian Wirtz in a duel with the Dortmunders Giovanni Reyna (l.) And Jude Bellingham
Photo: Lars Baron / Getty Images
It will be a good three months before Florian Wirtz will be 18 years old.
When the game between Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund ended, he was still only the second youngest player on the pitch.
Youssoufa Moukoko, 16 years and two months old, was substituted on for BVB and for Jude Bellingham, who is also just under two months younger than Wirtz.
In another substitution, Dortmund's coach Edin Terzić brought in 18-year-old Giovanni Reyna for 20-year-old Jadon Sancho, who, like Erling Haaland, had disappointed.
BVB is a reservoir for some of the greatest football talents in Europe.
On Tuesday after the 1: 2 defeat, they snuck out of the pitch just as disappointed as the experienced Mats Hummels and Thomas Meunier, who were largely responsible for the decisive goal of the evening.
"There is nothing better than to score a goal that will help my team win," wrote Florian Wirtz later on Instagram, because he had taken advantage of the mistakes.
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Winning goal: Florian Wirtz (r.) Defeats BVB keeper Roman Bürki
Photo: Lars Baron / Getty Images
Space recognized, sprint tightened, tension shot from 16 meters, 2: 1, match winner.
Peter Bosz was happy that the idea in the meantime remained an idea.
In Dortmund's strong phase, around the 1-1 equalizer by Julian Brandt in the 67th minute, "we thought about taking him out".
Wirtz's mileage has decreased, according to the Dutch trainer, who then learned a German phrase and was shown it.
"That's called the second air," says Bosz.
Wirtz became the Leverkusen player with the best mileage - 12.60 kilometers.
Only Thomas Delaney ran more, also because he wanted to run away from Wirtz.
Bosz had ordered his team to disrupt BVB's build-up of the game with close cover, and the Delaney / Wirtz couple often found themselves.
"He played through 90 minutes, we didn't expect that," said the coach, astonished at his youngest, who had been missing in the two previous games, from which Leverkusen only took one point.
“He hasn't played for a few weeks and almost hasn't trained.
Then he'll play a top game straight away, "said Bosz once again and looked almost a little happy that he could prove that Florian Wirtz" of course still has a lot to learn. "
In front of the BVB goal, Wirtz easily lost the ball. He had tried a risky pass, which is his way of playing bravely anyway.
Better two key passes per game than a pass rate of well over 90 percent.
There are already five assists this season, plus three goals.
On the other side of the Rhine, they are still clenching their fists in their pockets that the Leverkusen-based company snatched their huge talent from them just under a year ago.
Wirtz had been trained at 1. FC Köln for ten years, then he moved across the river and shows there that he is already far enough to help a top team in the Bundesliga.
The fact that the name of Kai Havertz, who moved from Leverkusen to Chelsea last summer, is hardly mentioned, is mainly due to Wirtz.
"He plays fresh, lively, carefree"
Peter Bosz even thinks Florian Wirtz is so far that he could also help national coach Joachim Löw at the European Championship, which is still planned for the summer: "He has these qualities."
Florian Wirtz is someone who shows himself who wants the ball even with very little time and space and then asserts it or passes it on quickly.
That's how he did it against Borussia Dortmund.
On the defensive, an opponent is sidelined according to plan, on the offensive attacks are accelerated, three shots on goal are fired and one goal is scored.
“The boy can handle the ball.
He plays fresh, lively, carefree, "said Lars Bender of his young team-mate, goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky even claimed:" At the moment he is a leading figure, he helps the team with his presence. "
Dortmund coach Terzić said after the game that “quality is the result of talent and attitude”.
The accusation was that some of his professionals only relied on talent in the first half.
Florian Wirtz brought both, thanks to the second air even over 90 minutes.
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