Germany winger Karim Bellarabi fired Bayer Leverkusen into the Bundesliga's top three on Saturday with a 1-0 win at Schalke 04.

Having bowed out of the Champions League on Tuesday suffering the heartbreak of a penalty shoot-out defeat to Atletico Madrid in the last 16, Leverkusen leap-frogged Borussia Moenchengladbach to go third in Germany's top flight.

Bayer's Germany winger Bellarabi, who has been linked to Arsenal, grabbed the 35th-minute winner from the tightest of angles with a superb shot across goal.

"Now we are up where we want to still be at the end of the season," said Bellarabi who has been named in Germany's squad for Wednesday's friendly with Australia and next Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Georgia.

Having won the last 16, first leg clash against Atletico 1-0 in Leverkusen, Bayer lost 1-0 in Madrid before suffering the disappointment of losing 3-2 on spot-kicks after ex-Germany striker Stefan Kiessling blasted over his crucial penalty.

"We played a very good game and deserved the win," said Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt after his side beat Schalke.

"The fact that the team was able to play with so much concentration after Tuesday's match is fantastic."

But Schalke coach Roberto di Matteo was bitterly disappointed as his side are now five points from a possible Champions League place in fifth.

"There were too many mistakes in our build up play," said ex-Chelsea coach Di Matteo, who took charge in October and whose Royal Blues bowed out of the Champions League in the last 16 despite beating holders Real Madrid away.

"We didn't control the game and didn't create enough chances, too often we didn't make the right decision."

After the international break, Leverkusen play strugglers Hamburg in a fortnight before their crucial German Cup quarter-final at home to holders Bayern Munich on April 4.