Nathan Tella continued his impressive return to form by scoring his first Bundesliga goal of the 2025/26 season as Bayer 04 Leverkusen produced a commanding 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig at the BayArena.
The Nigerian forward delivered another influential display for Kasper Hjulmand’s side, combining creativity and finishing in a performance that underlined his growing importance during the closing stages of the campaign.
Tella first made his impact in the 25th minute when he provided the assist for Patrik Schick to open the scoring for Leverkusen.
Just before halftime, the Super Eagles attacker added his own name to the scoresheet.
After a well-worked attacking move from the hosts, Tella reacted quickest inside the penalty area to finish from close range in the 45th minute, finally opening his Bundesliga account for the season after an injury-hit start to the campaign.
READMORE: Osula scores again as Newcastle beat Brighton amid Nigeria eligibility interest
Leverkusen remained firmly in control throughout the encounter, with Schick delivering a ruthless attacking display.
The Czech striker completed his hat-trick with further goals in the 76th and 89th minutes to crown a dominant afternoon for the home side.
Christoph Baumgartner managed to pull one back for Leipzig in the 80th minute, but it proved only a consolation as Leverkusen comfortably sealed all three points.
The victory lifts Leverkusen above VfB Stuttgart into fourth place, significantly boosting their hopes of securing UEFA Champions League football next season.
Tella’s performance represented another major step forward, The 26-year-old has now contributed one goal and six assists in 17 Bundesliga appearances this season, while also earning starts in each of Leverkusen’s last five league matches.
His growing influence is even more significant considering the injury setbacks that disrupted much of his season.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
Tella missed the opening seven Bundesliga fixtures because of a knee bruise before later spending another eight matches sidelined with a foot injury.
Those fitness problems severely interrupted his momentum earlier in the campaign, but the Nigeria international now appears to be rediscovering both rhythm and confidence at exactly the right moment for Leverkusen’s top-four ambitions.
