Bayern win to delay Leverkusen title party
Bayern Munich defender Raphael Guerreiro struck a brilliant second-half goal and Thomas Mueller scored late to beat Cologne 2-0 yesterday, delaying Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title party to today at the earliest.
Bayern’s win means Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen, who are 13 points clear of the Bavarians, need to beat Werder Bremen at home today to lift the Bundesliga trophy for the first time.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made seven changes to his side ahead of Wednesday’s quarterfinal second leg against Arsenal, with Harry Kane and Mathys Tel hitting the woodwork in the first half.
Former Borussia Dortmund player Guerreiro, starting at left-back ahead of Alphonso Davies, unleashed a curling shot from outside the box which broke the deadlock after 65 minutes.
Mueller added a second to seal the result in the third minute of stoppage time.
The win came at a cost with Bayern winger Kingsley Coman carried off with an injury five minutes into the second half, leaving him a doubt for the visit of Arsenal next week.
“He will undergo further tests but it’s not looking good,” Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said.
Bayern were joined on 63 points by Stuttgart, who beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in Saturday’s late game.
Serhou Guirassy opened the scoring after just 11 minutes, dipping a shot over the ‘keeper for the edge of the box.
Mainz vs Hoffenheim ............. 4-1 B. M’Gladbach vs Dortmund..1-2 B. Munich vs Cologne ............. 2-0 RB Leipzig vs Wolfsburg ....... 3-0 Bochum vs Heidenheim ......... 1-1 Stuttgart vs E. Frankfurt ....... 3-0
Darmstadt vs Freiburg ....... 15.30 Leverkusen vs Bremen ....... 17.30 Standings: Bayer Leverkusen 76; Bayern Munich, Stuttgart 63; Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund 56; Eintracht Frankfurt 42; Augsburg
Guirassy has scored in his past six games and has 25 goals in 23 games this season—the most in a single campaign in Stuttgart history.
Guirassy’s strike partner Deniz Undav added another just six minutes later, his 16th goal of the season since arriving on loan from Brighton.
Union Berlin loanee Jamie Leweling added another late in the first-half to put Stuttgart on track for a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2009-10.
“We’re just in the mood for football,” Undav said as his side guaranteed at least Europa League football for next season.
“This was a lot of fun,” said Leweling.
Dortmund and RB Leipzig continued their battle for fourth place – the final guaranteed Champions League spot – with both winning to stay level on points ahead of their clash in Saxony in late April.
Dortmund were reduced to 10 men and made to hold on to a 2-1 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach after Karim Adeyemi was sent off after picking up a second yellow with 35 minutes remaining.
Dortmund were in control after a first-half brace from Marcel Sabitzer, the second from the penalty spot, gave them a two-goal lead after 28 minutes.
Gladbach pulled one back late in the first half when Maximilian Woeber took advantage of some sleepy Dortmund defending from a corner.
Adeyemi, who won a penalty on 48 minutes but had it overturned
39; Hoffenheim, Freiburg 36; Heidenheim 34; Borussia M’Gladbach, Werder Bremen 31; Union Berlin 29; Wolfsburg 28; Bochum 27; Mainz 26; Cologne 22; Darmstadt 14.
A. Madrid vs Girona ................ 3-1 R. Vallecano vs Getafe ........... 0-0 Mallorca vs R. Madrid ............ 0-1 Cadiz vs Barcelona ................. 0-1
Las Palmas vs Sevilla ........ 14.00
by VAR after it had been scored by Sabitzer, was dismissed seven minutes later after tripping Stefan Lainer.
“We lost the past three games here so this is a good result for us, especially because we did it a man down,” said Dortmund defender Niklas Suele.
“Now we’re completely focused on Tuesday,” Suele said of Dortmund’s home Champions League quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid, when the Germans
Granada vs Alaves .............. 16.15 A. Bilbao vs Villareal .......... 18.30 R. Sociedad vs Almeria ...... 21.00
Osasuna vs Valencia .......... 21.00
Real Madrid 78; Barcelona 70; Girona 65; Atletico Madrid 61; Athletic Bilbao 56; Real Sociedad 49; Real Betis 45; Valencia 44; Getafe, Osasuna 39; Villarreal 38; Las Palmas 37; Deportivo Alaves 32; Sevilla, Real Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano 31; Celta Vigo 28; Cadiz 25; Granada 14; Almeria 13.
must deficit.
Leipzig, who sit ahead of Dortmund on goal difference, won 3-0 at home over Wolfsburg thanks to goals from Dani Olmo, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda.
The victory came just days after surprisingly poaching Wolfsburg’s sporting director Marcel Schaefer, who won the title with the Wolves as a player in 2009. overturn
a2-1
Strasbourg vs Reims .............. 3-1 Rennes vs Toulouse ............... 1-2
Le Havre vs Nantes ............ 13.00 Clermont vs Montpellier .... 15.00 Lyon vs Brest ...................... 20.45
Paris SG 63; Brest 53; Monaco 52; Lille 49; Nice 44; Lens 43; Reims 40; Rennes, Marseille 39; Lyon 38; Strasbourg, Toulouse 36; Montpellier 32; Le Havre, Nantes 28; Lorient, Metz 26; Clermont Foot 18.
Serie A 18.30 Genoa vs Lazio; 20.45 Cagliari vs Juventus. Serie A 18.00 Empoli vs Napoli; 20.45 Verona vs Udinese.