Bayern refuse to concede title race to Dortmund
BERLIN: Despite his side lagging seven points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich director of sport Christian Nerlinger is not writing off the German League title, but admits the race is out of their hands.
Bayern suffered a 2-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, their sixth reversal of the season, as Dortmund claimed their eighth straight win to set a new club record.
Goals by striker Stefan Kiessling and midfielder Karim Bellarabi in Leverkusen caught the Bayern defence cold on the counter-attack.
It also gave Leverkusen a confidence boost ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Barcelona.
Bayern face a make-or-break few weeks and must overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their last-16 tie against FC Basel on March 13 in the Champions League at home before a German Cup semi-final at Gladbach on March 21.
The Bavarians are bidding to avoid a repeat of last season, when they finished in the rare position of having won no silverware.
Worryingly for Nerlinger, there is clear evidence of disharmony in the team as defender Jerome Boateng and midfielder Thomas Mueller engaged in a second-half shouting match on the pitch.
“We won’t be talking about winning the league,” said Nerlinger after his side were punished for failing to convert a string of first-half chances.
“I’m not writing off the title, but it’s not something which need concern us now. Somehow, we have to get a grip on our weakness away from home.”
In contrast, Dortmund are flying high as Japan winger Shinji Kagawa scored the late winner in their 2-1 victory over Mainz.
Kagawa’s 77th-minute strike capped a fine display after he had also set up Dortmund’s first goal for Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski on 26 minutes.
Mainz striker Mohamed Zidan, who only left Dortmund in January, scored in his fifth consecutive game for his new club when he found the net from a tight angle on 74 minutes.
“When they play like this, they are almost impossible to stop,” said Zidan, who admitted only celebrating quietly against his former club out of respect. — AFP