Granit Xhaka scores instant Puskas Award contender for Bayer Leverkusen with stunning long-range strike

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has scored a stunning goal of the season contender for Bayer Leverkusen in their opening Bundesliga game of the season.

The reigning Bundesliga champions are taking on Borussia Monchengladbach at the BayArena.

And it took just 12 minutes for Xhaka - who was a key player in last season's unbeaten campaign - to make his mark.

After Jeremie Frimpong's attempted cross was half-cleared by a defender, the ball fell on the bounce to Xhaka from over 25 yards out.

The Switzerland midfielder took one step forward before hammering the ball on the half volley directly into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Jonas Omlin with no chance of keeping it out.

Take a look at the goal below.

🚨🚨| GOAL: WHAT A GOAL BY XHAKA!!!

Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Borussia M'gladbach

pic.twitter.com/bUrXb0MnhY

— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) August 23, 2024

Arsenal fans will fondly recall Xhaka's penchant for the spectacular, with the midfielder scoring a series of impressive goals in a Gunners shirt.

Perhaps his finest came in an away game against Hull, where Xhaka picked the ball up from 35 yards out before arrowing it into the opposite top left corner.

Xhaka left Arsenal last summer after seven years at the club, and won the Bundesliga title in his first season at Leverkusen.

He helped Xabi Alonso's side to complete the treble by lifting the DFB-Pokal and German Supercup, with Leverkusen only denied a historic quadruple by a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

Speaking about Leverkusen's success in an interview with UEFA in May, Xhaka said: "A lot of factors [are behind our success].

"Of course, you can't win games without quality, so quality first and foremost.

"The mentality as well: desire, hunger to play football, to not lose and to work. The work we do day after day, before training or after training.

"I would point to his [Alonso's] personality and winning mentality. He had that already when he was a player. But, as a coach too, he gets this across to us, not just in the matches but during training as well.

"He's always giving us instructions on how to win games, on how to stay calm even if we're going through a stage that is not so good."