Super Eagles watch: Tella rated high as Bayer Leverkusen move close in on UCL spot

Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella played a starring role as Bayer Leverkusen recorded an emphatic 4-1 win over RB Leipzig on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 26-year-old contributed a goal and an assist in a dominant display, while Patrik Schick stole the headlines with an impressive hat-trick that powered Leverkusen into fourth place and strengthened their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, with just two Bundesliga matches remaining this season.

Bayer Leverkusen vs RB Leipzig: How the match was played out

The race for European qualification in the Bundesliga has heated up in recent weeks and Leverkusen needed a win against Leipzig to stay in contention. 

They took the lead in the 25th minute, with Tella heavily involved in the build-up as he combined neatly with Ibrahim Maza before cutting the ball back for Schick to open the scoring.

The Super Eagles forward then got on the scoresheet himself just before halftime, side-footing a cross by Aleix Garcia to give Leverkusen a 2-0 advantage going into the break.

RB Leipzig came out stronger in the second half in search of a response, but Leverkusen extended their lead when Schick grabbed his second of the game following another assist from Maza. Christoph Baumgartner managed to pull one back for Leipzig, but Schick completed his hat-trick late on, after the goal was given following a VAR review.

The convincing 4-1 result lifts Bayer Leverkusen into fourth place, level on points with fifth-placed Stuttgart, whom they will face in a decisive clash next weekend.

Super Eagles watch: Tella rated high for Leverkusen

Nathan Tella made his 17th league appearance in a season that has been disrupted by injury and marked the occasion with his first Bundesliga goal of the campaign. The Nigerian forward now has three goal contributions in his last two matches and is now showing signs of returning to his best form.

Before he was substituted in the 77th minute for Ernest Poku, Tella produced an impressive all-round performance, creating three chances, including two big chances. He also completed 86% of his passes and registered three shots on target.

His impressive display earned him a 9.2 rating on Sofascore, the joint-highest in the match alongside hat-trick hero Schick.

Could Eric Chelle hand Nathan Tella a recall ahead of Unity Cup?

Tella’s recent form could also put him back in contention for a Super Eagles recall. His last appearance for Nigeria came at the 2025 Unity Cup and his recent performances may have given head coach Eric Chelle something to consider ahead of their title defence later this month.

Chelle is expected to rotate and give opportunities to fringe players, which could hand Tella a real chance of making the cut ahead of the tournament and another chance to impress in the Super Eagles shirt.

For now, the 26-year-old will be focused on maintaining his strong form as he looks to boost his chances of returning to the national team, while also helping Bayer Leverkusen secure a place in next season’s Champions League.