Celtic v Bayer Leverkusen: Can hosts tame 'new Havertz' Florian Wirtz?

Teenage sensation Florian Wirtz has five goals in six appearances for Bayer Leverkusen this season

You might not yet be familiar with the name, but Germany wonderkid Florian Wirtz is making the kind of explosive impact that cannot be ignored for long.

The Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder - a full international at just 18 - is quickly becoming the talk of European football and has enriched his reputation with a slew of records.

After just over 50 first-team games, Wirtz is already being touted as a €100m talent, with Bayern Munich said to be heading the lengthy list of suitors.

Celtic are next in Wirtz's sights as the Scottish club attempt to get off the mark in the Europa League group stage when Leverkusen visit Glasgow on Thursday. Can they tame this supremely gifted teenager?

'The second Kai Havertz'

The rapid progress of Wirtz has made Leverkusen fans quickly forget the departure of Kai Havertz, the homegrown superstar who moved to Chelsea for £71m a year ago at the age of 21.

His departure left a sizeable creative void, but Wirtz has filled it quickly. Comparisons are inevitable, with Germany legend Lothar Matthaus saying Wirtz "will be the second Havertz, he will go the same way. We will see him play for a big, big team".

While Havertz rose through Leverkusen's youth system, Wirtz was pinched from Bundesliga rivals Cologne's academy in January 2020 for around £200,000. Should he leave, having extended his contract to 2026, the profit will be astronomical, with Bayern reportedly quoted nine figures.

Wirtz's short career so far is already peppered with milestones, giving a flavour of his precocious ability. He was Leverkusen's youngest debutant when pitched in to start the 4-1 Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen in May last year at 17 years and 15 days - eclipsing Havertz's record.

Within 19 days, he had become the youngest scorer in Bundesliga history, although Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko has since taken that accolade.

Florian Wirtz was given his Germany debut by new head coach Hansi Flick against Liechtenstein this month

Last season, Wirtz established himself as a first-team regular, contributing five goals - the first Bundesliga player to reach that mark before turning 18 - and five assists in 29 appearances.

He also became the youngest Germany Under-21 player of all time, and last month made his debut for the full national squad, coming off the bench in all three World Cup qualifying wins.

It's on the domestic front where his career has gone into overdrive, though. In a league where the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Erling Braut Haaland usually hog the limelight, Wirtz is basking in an incredible start to the season.

His haul of four league goals in five games is bettered only by Bayern's Lewandowski and Dortmund's Haaland, while Wirtz leads the way on four assists alongside Hoffenheim's Andre Kramaric.

Wirtz's latest strike, the winner against Mainz on Saturday, toppled another record as he overtook Lukas Podolski as the youngest player to net 10 Bundesliga goals.

Add in his winner against Ferencvaros in Leverkusen's Europa League opener, and Wirtz has netted in five straight club games since the opening day. All this, and he is still more than seven months shy of his 19th birthday. Halting the frightening teenager looks quite the task for injury-hit and out-of-form Celtic.

The club's former full-back Andreas Hinkel, now back home in Germany after ending a two-year stint as Spartak Moscow assistant, is among Wirtz's many admirers but sounded a note of caution amid the hype.

"He will be a key player for the future of Germany," Hinkel told BBC Scotland. "Havertz is similar in that they have something special, but Wirtz has the potential to be even better.

"He is still young and has to prove it long term. In the past, for example, Mario Gotze was a young player and people always compared him with Lionel Messi. Maybe it was too much.

"He went to Bayern Munich but didn't reach his top level there. Now he's in the Netherlands [with PSV Eindhoven]. It's an example of how if you get too much pressure put on you at a young age it can harm your future."

'Reshaped Bayer defence gives Celtic hope'

Wirtz is far from the only worry for Celtic. Having finished sixth last term, Leverkusen have a new coach - Swiss Gerardo Seoane took charge after leading Young Boys to three successive titles - and are second behind Bayern with four wins from six games.

Seoane's high-tempo attacking style has clicked quickly - his team are averaging more than 2.5 goals per match across all competitions.

Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick - the scourge of Scotland at Euro 2020 with a goal from inside his own half - has carried on that form with four league goals, while France winger Moussa Diaby has one fewer.

Diaby has recent history of dousing a Scottish club's Europa League dreams, his goal sealing Leverkusen's 4-1 aggregate success over Rangers in the last 16 two seasons ago.

Despite their clout, Leverkusen haven't gone beyond the last eight in Europe since losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid at Hampden in 2002.

A familiar face, Jeremie Frimpong, returns to Celtic Park with the Germans after leaving Scotland in a £11m deal in January.

He cemented his status as first-choice right-back by assisting Wirtz's winner last weekend but is part of a restructured defence that could give Celtic hope, says Hinkel.

"Leverkusen spend a lot of money but they try to find young players like Wirtz, Diaby and Frimpong, who can still improve," said the 39-year-old. "It isn't uncommon for Leverkusen to make a strong start to the season, although too often they are unable to maintain it and fall away.

"They easily have one of best four squads in the Bundesliga, but are trying to stabilise the defence. They had a few players who left in the summer and there are still question marks over the new defence.

"Against Leverkusen there is always a chance, especially with the crowd at Celtic Park. European nights there are unbelievable and it can be intimidating for the opposition."

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