Granit Xhaka provided a moment of hilarity during Bayer Leverkusen’s match against Mainz, leaving Xabi Alonso momentarily flustered with a sensational goal early in the game. Just three minutes into the match, the Swiss midfielder unleashed a spectacular left-footed strike from outside the box, beating the Mainz goalkeeper with a dipping shot into the top corner.
Xhaka’s goal prompted excitement from his manager, but the mood quickly shifted when Xhaka appeared to clutch his left hamstring in apparent pain. However, it soon became apparent that it was all a prank, as Xhaka flashed a smile and his teammates joined in by mockingly grabbing their own legs. Realizing he had been tricked, Alonso couldn’t help but smile as he held back the medical staff preparing to rush onto the pitch.
Despite the moment of humor, Mainz managed to equalize just four minutes later through Dominik Kohr. Nevertheless, Leverkusen emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, thanks to Robert Andrich’s second-half goal. The result brings Leverkusen closer to clinching the Bundesliga title, with the gap between them and Bayern Munich now at 11 points.
While the match result was significant, social media buzzed with reactions to Xhaka’s amusing prank rather than focusing solely on the outcome of the game.