Bayern eye title after Leipzig win, Dortmund face ‘catastrophe’

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann all but conceded the Bundesliga title on Saturday after his side were beaten 1-0 by league leaders Bayern Munich thanks to a first-half goal from Leon Goretzka.

Goretzka smashed the ball into the top corner shortly before the break as Bayern opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table over second-place Leipzig with just seven games to go.

“For us, it’s about finishing second in the table. We’re playing a good season and we want to keep going, even if our first chance of a title is gone,” Nagelsmann told Sky.

Leipzig will now need a near miracle if they are to stop Bayern winning a 30th Bundesliga title in May, yet match-winner Goretzka remained cautious.

“There are still 21 points on offer this season, so this was a big step towards the title, but not a decisive one,” he said.

Kick-off was delayed by several minutes after Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer found a hole in his goal net, but the Munich defence remained watertight in the first half.

Goretzka blasted in the opener shortly before half-time, hitting a Thomas Mueller cut-back first time to pick up his fifth league goal of the season.

Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels said his club are facing a “catastrophe” after a 2-1 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt left their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.

A late winner from Portuguese striker Andre Silva means Dortmund are seven points adrift of Frankfurt and the Champions League qualification places.

“Realistically, it’s going to be very difficult to finish in the top four, even if we get six or seven more wins,” said Hummels after his side slumped to a 10th defeat of the season.

He said that missing the top four would be disastrous for Dortmund, who face a fight to hold on to coveted key players such as Erling Braut Haaland in the next transfer window.

“Not qualifying for the Champions League would obviously be a sporting and financial catastrophe, and we are close to that now,” said Hummels.