Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella, who scored the decisive goal in Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal round of 16, credited his study of teammates Victor Boniface and Patrick Schick for teaching him the art of positioning in the box.
Tella, one of the shortest players on the pitch, rose to meet Alex Grimaldo’s pinpoint cross in the 69th minute, heading past Bayern’s substitute goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
Peretz had replaced Manuel Neuer, who was sent off in the 17th minute for a collision with Jeremie Frimpong outside the box.
The victory secured Leverkusen’s place in the quarterfinals as they continue their defense of the title.
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The goal marked Tella’s first of the season in 16 appearances across all competitions.
Reflecting on his performance, Tella shared how closely observing Boniface and Schick shaped his instincts during the game.
“I knew once Grimaldo had the ball wide, he was going to deliver into the box,” Tella said.
“I’ve watched Patrick (Schick) and Victor (Boniface) a lot this season. They’re excellent at positioning between defenders and the post, so I thought if I got into the same position, I’d have a chance. Thankfully, the ball was perfect, and I managed to score.”
Despite Bayern being reduced to 10 men early in the game and missing star striker Harry Kane, Tella acknowledged that the match remained challenging.
“It was a tough game, even with their red card. We had to stay mature and not get overly excited or rush to kill off the game,” Tella said. “They still created chances, but we stayed composed, and I’m glad I could help secure the win.”
Looking ahead, Tella emphasised the team’s ambition to defend their title. “We’re excited for the next round. We won this competition last year, and it’s ours to lose. We’ll stay motivated, focus on the next game, and keep building on this momentum.”
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