“Emotional after such a long time.”

Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick commented of what it felt like to score that his first goal after a long injury layoff featuring multiple set-backs on Thursday evening. 

After missing most of last year with persistent groin problems and having to suffer still another injury set-back with problems relating to his calf, Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick was overjoyed to have scored his first goal since February in his team’s Europa League fixture on Thursday night. The scenes were indeed quite stirring as Schick headed directly over to the Bayer bench after netting the 2-0 in the 74th minute.

Werkself trainer Xabi Alonso was among the first to congratulate the Czech forward with a hug. Teammate Jonas Hofmann wasn’t far behind. The return to the scoresheet couldn’t have come at a better time for the 27-year-old. With six fixtures remaining until the winter break, Schick is sure to be called upon to log some more minutes. Germany’s red company team will certainly need Schick in January when Victor Boniface partakes in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“It was emotional after such a long time,” Schick told German broadcaster RTL during his post-match interview, “I’m very happy that I was able to celebrate with the coaching staff and my teammates. It wasn’t easy to comeback after such a long injury layoff. [Assist provider Josip] Stanisic did a good job locating me.”

“I think it’s great for him and the team,” Hofmann added in his own post-match interview, “It wasn’t easy for him to come into a game like this and onto a pitch like this. I think you could tell that everyone was happy for him. It was a nice gesture that he immediately ran towards the bench and everyone went straight to him.”

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