Kai Havertz scored twice as Bayer Leverkusen ended the first round of Bundesliga matches in over two months with a 4-1 win at Werder Bremen on Monday which moved them within a point of the top four.
After a slow start to the game in an eery atmosphere, the encounter burst into life with three goals in five minutes.
Havertz nodded Leverkusen into a 28th-minute lead, before Bremen right-back Theodor Gebre Selassie levelled on the half-hour mark.
But Havertz restored Leverkusen’s advantage three minutes later with another header, from Kerem Demirbay’s free-kick.
Peter Bosz’s side wrapped up a comfortable victory with second-half goals from Mitchell Weiser and Demirbay.
The heavy defeat leaves Bremen stuck in the drop zone, five points adrift off the relegation play-off spot and nine from safety, albeit with a game in hand.