Tactical Analysis: How do Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and RB Leipzig's Xavi compare?
Respective playmakers par excellence for Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig, Florian Wirtz and Xavi meet again when Germany visit the Netherlands in the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League. bundesliga.com finds out how they compare...
Wirtz and Xavi are fresh of a thrilling domestic meeting in which Leipzig came from 2-0 down to end Leverkusen's remarkable unbeaten run of 35 Bundesliga games. The Bayer maestro added an assist to his two goals on Matchday 1, while Xavi - despite being without goal contribution two rounds of league fixtures into 2024/25 - was his usual hive of activity in the final third. For both men, it's a case of normal service resumed ahead of their fifth competitive head-to-head.
Wirtz bounced back strongly after a difficult 2022/23 season blighted by injury, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Season award as he helped Leverkusen win their first Bundesliga title. Last term, he scored 11 times in the Bundesliga and he has already opened his account this season, netting twice in his side's opening day victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach. Alongside the likes of Victor Boniface in attack, Wirtz has blossomed.
Similarly, Leipzig’s Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi provided plenty of entertainment for Bundesliga fans last term. The Netherlands international provided 11 assists in the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, the same number as Wirtz, whilst also hitting eight goals. Both youngsters have also contributed to their clubs’ successes in European competitions.
Watch: Wirtz helped Leverkusen edge Leipzig on Matchday 1 of last season
Going with the Flo
Wirtz flourished in 2023/24 for Leverkusen, taking the mantle of creative maestro, the one player who can decide games on his own. His 11 goals made him the highest-scoring midfielder of the season. Outside of his impressive creative output, Wirtz also works hard for his side off the ball, running 7.64 miles/ 12.3km on average per 90 minutes, which is the most out of his Leverkusen teammates.
Whether he's playing alongside Jonas Hofmann or Amine Adli, or just behind Boniface or Patrik Schick in Leverkusen’s three-man attack, Wirtz can be both the goal-maker or taker according to the demands of the situation.
Watch: The best of Florian Wirtz
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Not only is the 21-year-old one of the biggest talents in the league, he is already one of its most masterful players on the ball.
Wirtz’s movement between the lines, and his ability to receive and turn on the ball is second to none, while his weaving, ankle-breaking dribbling skills are the stuff of nightmares for defenders. You only have to look at his goal against Freiburg on Matchday 9 of last season to understand why.
It is that kind of elite-level wizardry that makes Wirtz a standout player compared to the rest and also makes him such a danger to opposing defences. Alonso has seen a lot in his time as a professional footballer, but even he was taken aback by Wirtz's goal against Freiburg. "I'll remember that for a long time," said the Leverkusen boss afterwards.
Watch: Wirtz's sublime solo goal against Freiburg
Wirtz the initiator
Only Boniface (23) and wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo (25), had more goal contributions for Leverkusen last season than Wirtz's 22 in the Bundesliga.
Wirtz's goal and assist against Eintracht Frankfurt was the perfect demonstration of just how devastating he can be in a split second.
With Leverkusen under pressure, centre-back Edmond Tapsoba threaded a pass through to Wirtz, who was free of markers and ready to receive in the middle. A quick shift towards the Frankfurt goal and Wirtz was away. A perfectly played through ball to Boniface was the final action before the back of the net bulged.
The Nigeria international returned the favour for the final goal of the game, setting up Wirtz for an exquisite chipped finish past Kevin Trapp in goal.
This is another big part of Wirtz's skillset - his ability to find the gaps to set up shots for his teammates.
In 2023/24, Wirtz set up 73 shot attempts, third only to Grimaldo and Hofmann in Die Werkself's squad. One of the big reasons for that impressive number is Wirtz's ability to link up with his colleagues: his total of 42 one-two combinations last term was a league high.
Being able to repeatedly create chances for teammates resulted in 11 assists for the second-youngest Bundesliga goalscorer of all time in his side's title-winning campaign. Only Grimaldo had more in the league with 13. On top of that, Wirtz hit the woodwork (five times) more than anyone else in the league.
As if that were not enough, the Pulheim native, who joined Leverkusen from local rivals Cologne, is no slouch when it comes to his running either. Reaching a top speed of 21.4 miles per hour (34.4 km/h), Wirtz can be deadly in transition when given the space to drive towards the opposition goal.
Xavi the wizard
Wirtz's counterpart on Tuesday had an incredible first season in the Bundesliga with Leipzig, having joined on loan from PSG following a one-campaign cameo at PSV Eindhoven where he burst onto the senior scene with 19 league goals.
World renowned for being one of the finest young attackers around, Xavi wasted no time in adjusting to the Bundesliga. It took him just two matchdays to get his first Bundesliga goal and assist, achieving both against VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 2.
Watch: RB Leipzig 5-1 VfB Stuttgart - highlights
Much like Wirtz, Xavi is primarily an attacking midfielder, but has a lot more versatility to his game than the Leverkusen midfielder.
The 21-year-old Dutchman is well capable of playing either on the left or right flank as a wide attacker, in addition to being a very effective central creative force. Starting in 32 out of 34 Bundesliga games in 2023/24, Xavi has been essential to Marco Rose's side since day one.
Xavi's 21 goal involvements last season were only bettered in the squad by fellow summer arrival Loïs Openda, who has managed a tally of 24 goals and seven assists.
The Belgium international is Xavi's partner in crime, and both players come alive on the counter-attack, thriving on the chaos in the opposition's defence. Both are quick in offensive transition and able to blow teams away with their efficiency in finishing chances.
Watch: All Xavi's assists for Loïs Openda so far
Devastating Xavi
Less reliant on his physical traits than Wirtz, Xavi can be devastatingly good with his final pass or shot.
His low centre of gravity allows him to manipulate the ball and weave past crowds of opposition markers. In fact, last season, the Dutchman won 55 percent of his challenges, also engaging in more duels than anyone else at Leipzig.
Xavi's style of play also means that he is prone to being tackled often by defenders, and he drew 70 fouls from the opposition this season, once again, more than any other player at Leipzig and only second to Omar Marmoush (74) in the league.
As seen in the below example, once he gets to carry the ball from deep into space with runners alongside him, it's game over for the opposition.
Xavi loves to test keepers from range and scored two brilliant goals from outside the box against Freiburg and Union Berlin last term.
In fact, 43 of his shots last season were long-range attempts. He has the technique to curl efforts beyond the keeper's reach into the corners, and he's already shown that this season.
Not that he is greedy; in fact, he teed up a teammate for an effort at goal almost twice as often as having a go himself (83).
WIth teammates like Openda, Benjamin Šeško and the recently departed Dani Olmo, it's no wonder that Xavi amassed 34 one-two participations, not far off from his positional counterpart at Leverkusen.
Watch: Xavi named Bundesliga Rookie of the Month in December 2023
All of this adds to the intrigue of this clash on Nations League Matchday 2. Not only will fans be eager to watch two European heavyweights go toe to toe, they will also be excited to see the outcome of round five of Wirtz vs. Xavi.
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