Bayern boss over Berlin in 2-0 bust
Berlin, May 18: Defending champion Bayern Munich returned to action on Sunday with a 2-0 win at Union Berlin as the restart of German football continued in empty stadiums.
Players’ shouts echoed off the empty rows of concrete terracing around Union’s stadium as Bayern moved closer to an eighth straight league title.
As at all games in the Bundesliga this weekend, players wore masks when not on the field and substitutes sat apart from one another in the stands.
Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said it was “a question of motivation of attitude” to succeed without fans in the stadium and that the game seemed to take longer than usual.
“The minutes are always very long at a game without fans,” Neuer said.
Robert Lewandowski gave Bayern the lead with a penalty in the 30th minute following a mistimed challenge by Union’s Neven Subotic. It was Lewandowski’s 40th goal of
● Robert Lewandowski and Benjamin Pavard scored a goal each as Bayern Munich defeated Union Berlin two goals to good in the German league match.
the season in all club competitions. Union held off Bayern for most of the second half but Benjamin Pavard scored a second in the 80th.
Union played without head coach Urs Fischer, who had traveled to be with his family following the death of his father-in-law. The club said Fischer would only take charge of training again after he tests negative for the Coronavirus twice.
Fan groups are split over the restart, much like German society in general. Many clubs have allowed fans to put banners in the empty stands for games. Some groups have taken the opportunity to call for changes.