The game got off to a false start due to Freiburg’s travelling supporters throwing tennis balls onto the pitch, which was met with a furious response from their own head coach, Julian Schuster.

There was reason for Breisgau-Brasilianer celebrations just 14 minutes into the game, though, as Niklas Beste raced up the pitch and laid the ball off to Philipp Treu, who found Derry Scherhant at the back post with space to finish.

Their lead only lasted five minutes, as a lovely move saw Moussa Diaby selflessly square the ball to Schick, who flicked it perfectly for Ibrahim Maza to convert.

Both teams continued to show intent as the first half progressed, with Igor Matanovic heading off-target from Beste’s free-kick delivery before Philipp Lienhart put Schick under enough pressure to ensure the striker couldn’t work Mio Backhaus with his header from a corner.

Afonso Moreira had cut a frustrated figure at times in the first half as the 21-year-old awaits his first Leverkusen goal, and that wait continued as he intercepted Beste’s wayward pass, only for the wideman to get back and block his attempt.

Facundo Medina and Maximilian Eggestein tried their luck from outside the box after the restart, even if the former’s shot went marginally wide and the latter’s was routinely saved.

Schick blazed a shot over the crossbar after Diaby’s pass was headed into the striker’s path, and both teams made a mistake that ultimately went unpunished in a cagey second half.

Die Werkself found the quality to get ahead with a quarter-hour remaining. Maza did superbly to keep the ball in play and work enough space to tee up Schick for a clinical first-time finish.

Nathan Tella sent his attempt marginally wide and Backhaus tipped Maza’s venomous strike over as Leverkusen looked for a buffer, but they didn’t need one to record their fifth consecutive win across all competitions.

They are also only behind third-placed Freiburg on goal difference after inflicting the first defeat from Breisgau-Brasilianer’s 10 competitive matches this term.