Patrik Schick on Bayer Leverkusen's 2025/26 campaign, his goals record and the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2025/26 season may not have been the most memorable of campaigns for Bayer Leverkusen, but Kasper Hjulmand’s side remain in contention for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League - thanks in no small part to the prolific form of striker Patrik Schick.
In an interview with the Bundesliga, Czechia international Schick shared his thoughts on the 2025/26 campaign, Leverkusen’s trophy ambitions, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and much more besides.
Bundesliga: Patrik, you have one game left to play this season. How are you feeling ahead of your final-day clash with Hamburg?
Schick: “We’re not in the position we wanted to be in going into our final game, but it’s our last match in front of our fans so we want to give them a good performance. We want to get the win and hope Stuttgart and Hoffenheim lose their games, but it’s not in our hands anymore. We just want to put in a good performance and see what happens.”
Bundesliga: It's been an eventful season for Leverkusen. How would you sum up the campaign?
Schick: “There have been too many ups and downs and unfortunately, we haven’t been consistent in our performances. We’ve followed up really good games with bad results - that’s been the problem this season. We weren’t able to maintain our high standards in every game. That’s the reason we’re in sixth place.”
Bundesliga: What have been Leverkusen’s biggest strengths and weaknesses this season?
Schick: “I’d say we’ve performed quite well against the top teams. We beat Leipzig twice, we beat Dortmund away, and we should have beaten Bayern at home. However, we lost too many points from winning positions, including by two or more goals. That’s what’s missing at the moment, and I’d say it’s been a weakness this season.”
Watch: Leverkusen continued their top-four push with a win in Dortmund
Bundesliga: Your personal stats read pretty well - you've hit nine goals in your last seven league games alone. What do you put that down to?
Schick: “I’m feeling very good physically at the moment. I’ve had no injuries recently, so I’m training well and feeling good. I’ve scored quite a lot of goals in the last couple of games, but there was a phase during the season - particularly after my [thigh] injury in October - which was really tough for me. At the moment, I’d say I'm doing quite well.”
Bundesliga: You’ve developed into Leverkusen’s most consistent goalscorer over the last few years, and also extended your contract last year. What convinced you to commit your long-term future to the club?
Schick: “I’ve already been here a long time, and I was so happy that I could extend my contract last summer. What I liked most was probably the whole process of building the team that won the Bundesliga and the DFB Cup - that was really special. That’s probably what we’re trying to do again now, but there’s a lot of work ahead. The club and the fans support me, so we have a really good connection. That’s what makes me happy here.”
Watch: Schick hits hat-trick as Leverkusen beat Leipzig
Bundesliga: You’re Leverkusen’s top foreign goalscorer of all time and and are also among Europe’s best strikers in the golden boot ranking. Did you ever expect to hit those heights when you started out as a professional footballer?
Schick: “Not really. Of course, I wanted to become a professional and play at the top level, but at the time I wasn’t thinking about goals or statistics. I just wanted to play football and I didn’t care if I scored or got assists. The most important thing for me was to play well, have fun and get a good feeling from my performances.”
Bundesliga: After you won the double in 2024, there were a lot of changes at the club. Do you think Leverkusen can regain that edge and win more silverware?
Schick: “I think that’s the aim. If I remember correctly, we finished sixth the season before we won the title, so maybe this is a similar phase of building something new. Let’s see what happens in the future.”
Bundesliga: The World Cup kicks off in under a month. Czechia qualified for the first time in 20 years with a dramatic victory in the play-offs. You were 10 years old when your country last played at the World Cup - how excited are you?
Schick: “Twenty years is a really long time. I vividly remember the games the national team played here in Germany [in 2006] - my father was in the stadium for one of them. The Czech fans have waited a long time to see us qualify for the biggest tournament in the world, so we’re very happy that we can finally be part of it again.
"It’s a huge experience for all the players and will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It’s also a big opportunity for certain players to make another huge step in their careers.”
