Leipzig storm continues Happy homecoming for Hoeness
BUNDESLIGA: Werner double gives leaders easy victory over Freiburg
TIMO Werner struck twice as promoted RB Leipzig crushed hosts Freiburg 4-1 on Friday to go six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with their seventh consecutive victory.
The talented 20-year-old, who joined the club from VfB Stuttgart for a reported €10 million (RM48 million) this season, took his tally to seven goals in the current campaign, as unbeaten Leipzig moved on to 30 points from 12 games.
Second-placed champions Bayern
Leipzig’s
(left) scores against Freiburg in their Bundesliga match on Friday. MUNICH: Uli Hoeness, who was released from prison in February after serving a sentence for tax evasion, made a triumphant return to Bayern Munich as club president on Friday after being re-elected unopposed.
Cheered on by the vast majority of the 7,000 club members at the annual general meeting and booed by a handful, Hoeness was hugged by fellow club bosses when the election result was announced.
“I want to thank you and I promise that I will not disappoint you,” he told the crowd after being welcomed back by club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
A former Bayern player and sporting director, Hoeness first became president in 2009.
He was known for voicing strong opinions and helped turn the Bavarian club into a multimillion dollar international operation.
The 64-year-old was convicted in March 2014 for evading €28.5 million (RM134 million) in taxes. The Munich played Bayer Leverkusen late yesterday, having lost their last two matches in all competitions.
“At the end of the day it looked easier than it was,” said Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuettl. “We had to pinch ourselves when we looked at the final score.
“We got the early goal and that obviously gave us a lot of confidence. We do look at the standings but this team do not rest when they are successful. Instead they work that bit harder.”
speaks after being elected as Bayern president on Friday. 1974 World Cup winner stepped down from his post at Bayern and started his jail term in June 2014.
From early 2015, he was allowed to leave prison during the day to work in Bayern’s youth department, before returning in the evening. He was released in February after serving half of his 3-1/2-year term.
Hoeness was initially charged
The impact of Leipzig’s win was felt as far south as Munich, with newly-elected Bayern president Uli Hoeness announcing the result of Leipzig’s game at the club’s annual general meeting.
“Finally we now have another team we can attack,”
Hoeness, with evading €3.5 million in taxes while investing millions in stocks through a Swiss bank account.
When the trial began Hoeness stunned the court by admitting he had actually evaded five times that amount — €18.5 million. That figure was subsequently raised further to €28.5 million — a figure acknowledged by Hoeness’s defence. Reuters whose team are chasing a recordextending fifth straight Bundesliga title, said amid loud applause.
Leipzig’s Naby Keita fired the opener from 18 metres after two minutes but Freiburg levelled in the 15th with Florian Niederlechner’s well-timed header from Pascal Stenzel’s cross.
Werner then took over, charging through to round goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow in the 21st minute and then rounding off a quick break with another goal 14 minutes later.
Marcel Sabitzer, who had earlier hit the post, made amends in the 79th by rifling home a low shot for Leipzig’s 10th goal in their last three matches.