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A grin could hardly be wider.

Florian Wirtz, the shooting star of league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, had just scored to 4-0 (2-0) at 1. FC Köln, then turned towards the guest fan curve, put his fingers in his mouth and pulled it apart.

He looked like a clown.

This grimace was not well received by everyone.

The FC-trained midfielder, who is just getting started with the rival, had to put up with allegations that he had made fun of his ex-club.

That was not the case, the only 17-year-old said.

"I was just happy that I scored another goal," he wrote on Instagram: "The smile was at home for my people."

Florian Wirtz and Bayer Leverkusen are currently in a good mood

Source: Pool via REUTERS

Leverkusen has been grinning for weeks.

There has even been euphoria since the impressively superior derby win in Cologne.

Bayer is characterized by great joy in playing, delighted with offensive football and is currently sweeping the Europa League and Bundesliga with a furor: 3-2 in Nice, 3-0 in Schalke, 4-0 against Slavia Prague, 4-1 against Hoffenheim and now it was Cologne also played on the wall.

18 goals in five games are evidence of Leverkusen's strength.

"I'm not going to try to slow it down"

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The team wants to continue in this style - on Saturday, when FC Bayern comes to the top game.

"It's a great game, everyone is watching," said midfielder Nadiem Amiri: "And of course Bayern can be beaten."

Peter Bosz takes note of such statements at least as benevolently as the development of his team.

He welcomes euphoria.

"I'm not going to try to slow it down," said the coach, who is in his second year in Leverkusen: "It's always good when players have confidence, have a good feeling and are in a good mood." he will also tell them "that Bayern are a very good team."

However, Bosz also developed this, even if proof of sustainability has yet to be provided.

However, there are indications that the Leverkusen-based company is avoiding some past mistakes this time around in its constant endeavor to build a top team.

This also has to do with the claims that are now formulated much more aggressively internally than in the years in which the term "Vizekusen" was established - when Bayer was perceived as a club that could not become champions because it was not by the Opportunity to be convinced.

That has changed since Fernando Carro took over the management in 2018 - a man who is hard to lose.

This time a new greed grew

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Last season, too, there was an attempt to break into the phalanx of the big three - Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig.

In 2019/20, the team from Bosz also showed phases of high-speed football with classic Dutch characteristics: in the 4-3-3 system with only a few built-in safety mechanisms.

However, there were some disruptions.

In the end it was not enough to qualify for the Champions League, and the DFB Cup final (2-4 against Bayern) was lost.

When the most important offensive players, Kai Havertz and Kevin Volland, left at the end of the season, this was almost routinely recorded by the public as the end of hopes.

But this time something like a new greed grew out of it.

It was seen as a challenge.

Even Bosz was surprised that it could be mastered so well.

“We lost 60 points.

If we are now first, it will be unique, ”he said in an interview with the“ Algemeen Dagblad ”.

Suddenly everything is working fine this season.

The players who were supposed to close the gaps came into a functioning structure: Patrick Schick as Volland replacement and Wirtz, who took over the role of Havertz.

Bosz has created many alternatives

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In addition, the players have internalized Bosz's demanding style of play.

The risk protection works much better: Since there is only one six in its system, Bayer is even more dependent than other teams on all offensive players working backwards.

That takes strength, but the professionals have learned that they are rewarded for the effort.

Leverkusen's players celebrate the clear and confident victory in Cologne

Source: Sascha Steinbach - Pool / Getty Images / Pool

At the moment, nobody wants to be accused of not participating.

In Cologne, Amiri sprinted halfway back to recapture a ball that he had lost - with a score of 4-0.

The attitude of never giving up is a hallmark of the team.

Bosz has also created many alternatives that he trusts.

When captain Lars Bender injured himself at short notice on Wednesday, Mitchell Weiser surprisingly made his starting XI debut this season - and thanked him with a goal.

"Not just because he scored - he played great," said Bosz.

The signs seem favorable to get started.

For wise men this is even obvious.

"If we're already at the top and then have another great duel at home, then of course we want to win it and end the year well," he said.