European roundup: Schick fires Leverkusen into Champions League

Patrik Schick scored twice to shoot Bayer Leverkusen into the Champions League with a 4-2 win at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

Union Berlin stunned Freiburg 4-1 to dampen their Champions League hopes. Union secured at least a place in the Europa Conference League for the second season in a row. Sixth-placed Union, promoted only in 2019, has a two-point lead over Köln in their tussle for Europa League qualification. Köln lost at home to Wolfsburg 1-0.

Borussia Dortmund defeated already relegated Greuther Fürth 3-1 away in Stefan Leitl’s last game as Fürth coach. Leitl led the team to promotion last season.

Leverkusen were made to work hard against Hoffenheim, hoping to keep their European qualification chances alive. Schick scored twice to take his season tally to 24 in 26 league appearances. Leverkusen twice came from behind to secure third place, irrespective of what happens in their final game against Freiburg next weekend.

Freiburg, who also face Leipzig in the German Cup final on May 21, were rocked by three first-half goals from Union. Freiburg coach Christian Streich was booked for his furious reaction to an apparent infringement.

Streich’s team pushed hard after the break and duly pulled one back. But Union substitute Andras Schäfer sealed the result with a fine individual goal in the last minute.

Napoli opened a four-point lead over Juventus in the race for third place in Serie A after Fabián Ruiz’s second-half goal helped them win 1-0 at Torino.

With two matches left, Napoli are third on 73 points, ahead of fourth-placed Juventus, whose chances of winning the title ended after Friday’s 2-1 shock defeat at relegation-threatened Genoa.

After a dispiriting first half in which Napoli struggled to finish off their