Bayern back on top after Cologne rout

BAYERN MUNICH captain Manuel Neuer insisted the defending champions should have scored more, despite a 4-1 away win at Cologne sweeping them back to the top of the Bundesliga yesterday.

After RB Leipzig held top spot for 24 hours with a 3-0 home win against Werder Bremen on Saturday, Bayern raced into a 3-0 lead after just 12 minutes in Cologne.

“We could have scored up to 10 goals,” said Neuer, clearly irritated by the first-half chances Bayern wasted. “In any case, there was more to it than 4-1.”

Serge Gnabry scored twice, while Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman also netted as Mark Uth, on loan from Schalke, scored

Cologne’s consolation goal.

However, Bayern, who have now won seven and drawn one of their last eight league games, rode their luck in the second-half, but went unpunished despite dropping the tempo.

“If only one of those chances had gone in…” rued Cologne general manager Horst Heldt after his strikers Jhon Cordoba and Anthony Modeste wasted clear chances.

Forward Thomas Muller, who was outstanding with assists for Lewandowski and Coman, agreed that Bayern made life hard for themselves.

“When the lead is too big, we tend to make ourselves too comfortable. Then the opponents comes back at us,” said Muller.

“It’s human, but then we feel too safe, too comfortable.

“We know we can’t allow ourselves to do that, especially in the Champions League.”

Bayern face Chelsea in the Champions League last 16, first leg tie next week with the return on March 18.

The result leaves Bayern a point ahead of Leipzig, while Dortmund, who thrashed Frankfurt 4-0 on Friday, sit third and four points back.

Schalke remain sixth after taking a point in Sunday evening’s goalless draw at Mainz, who sit one place and five points about the relegation places. – AFP