Jonathan Burkardt and Patrick Schick: Two Bundesliga scorers who have found their way

Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick and Mainz’s Jonathan Burkardt have scored 18 goals between them in the last six matchdays, making Tuesday’s meeting between the two teams all the more tempting.

Schick has been in incredible form in recent weeks after struggling for consistency in recent years.

With 64 goals in 125 games, the Leverkusen striker can already look back on an impressive Bundesliga goal tally. Still, his current tally of 12 is his second-highest single-season haul in the league, behind just his 24 goals in the 2021/21 season.

The 28-year-old’s numbers remain impressive, especially given the significant injury layoff. After spending much of his side’s title-winning campaign in the 2023/24 season in the treatment room, Schick appears determined to be the man to propel them to further success this time around.

His eye-catching performances over the last six weeks have seen him score two or more goals on three occasions, including four in a game against European hopefuls Freiburg, who had conceded just four goals in the three games prior to meeting Schick and his teammates on Matchday 15.

Regard: Patrik Schick, the unsung hero of Bayer Leverkusen

He then scored a brace in his side’s 3-2 win over Dortmund on Matchday 16, which is all the more impressive considering BVB had not conceded more than two goals at home all season before losing against the Xabi Alonso’s team competed. Based on his current form, the Leverkusen coach described him as “the best Patrik I have seen in my time here”.

Schick is now the best Czech player of all time in the Bundesliga (64), although his form this season has seen him overtake the previous record holder Jan Koller (62). He is also in second place this season in terms of goal efficiency (+4.77), only surpassed by the seemingly unstoppable Omar Marmoush (+4.81).

Regard: Patrik Schick in easy mode

Burkardt, on the other hand, has made history of his own this season and has become Mainz’s all-time top goalscorer in the Bundesliga (35), overtaking Karim Onisiwo (33). With his 12 goals in the 2024/25 season, he is also currently the top-scoring German in the league, with Tim Kleindienst and Jamal Musiala (everyone nice) being his closest competitors.

For Burkardt, this is already his best Bundesliga return ever, surpassing his previous record of 11 sets from the 2021/22 season. The Mainz player’s overall record in the Bundesliga before this season was 23 goals; Now he has scored just over half that amount in twelve games.

Regard: Analysis by Jonathan Burkardt

With seven of those goals in the last five games, Burkardt has helped propel Mainz to fifth place, just two points behind RB Leipzig and Frankfurt. His outstanding form this season was rewarded with a call-up to the German national team; he made his debut in October 2024 against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Having made his Bundesliga debut for Mainz at the age of 18 and being a prolific goalscorer for the German U21 team (10 goals in 20 games), he might have expected his senior debut to come sooner ; Nevertheless, Burkardt seems to have found his rhythm and was even handed the captain’s armband this season at the age of 24.

Better than ever and injury-free, Burkardt is pushing his team into European football. Leverkusen, you have been warned!