Fans loved Granit Xhaka’s “wonder goal” for Bayer Leverkusen as the defending German champions kicked off the new season in their usual dramatic way.
The former Arsenal star played as the Bundesliga champions began their defense of their title.
Leverkusen’s first game of the season was on Friday night away at Borussia Monchengladbach. They had never lost in the Bundesliga all season before this.
It didn’t take long for Xabi Alonso’s team to show fans why they beat Bayern Munich in the summer.
In the 12th minute, Xhaka, who is 31, scored a ROCKET of a goal from 30 yards out to break the tie.
A cross from Jeremie Frimpong was headed out of the box, leaving Xhaka with an open goal.
That midfielder had a quiet party. He had played for Monchengladbach from 2012 to 2016 before moving to Arsenal.
Fans were shocked on social media and were quick to praise the Swiss player’s “proper thunderbolt.”
“Crazy strike, and against his old team,” one person wrote.
“I love a strike where it still looks like the ball is rising and getting faster as it hits the back of the net,” wrote someone else. “Real lightning bolt.”
A third person said, “Xhakaboom.”
It was said, “Xhaka only scores bangers.”
While someone else said, “The dictionary definition of ‘ stayed hit’.”
Before the break, Florian Wirtz made it 2-0, and Xabi Alonso’s team looked like they were going to easily win.
However, Monchengladbach scored two goals in the second half to get back in the game.
That gave the home team the upper hand, and Leverkusen was in danger of dropping points or even losing their first game of the season.
But fans got used to the “Neverlusen” attitude last season when they scored a lot of last-second goals and tied games.
And this time was no different. Florian Wirtz scored in the eleventh minute of extra time to make it 3-2.
In 2023, Xhaka left Arsenal to play for a team in Germany. He helped the team win an unbeaten domestic double.
The club was one game away from a triple, but Atalanta of Italy beat them in the Europa League final.