Bayern tune up for Real with easy win
berlin — Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich warmed up for Real Madrid with a 3-0 win at Hanover 96 on Saturday as Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski both scored after coming off the bench.
Mueller struck within 12 minutes of his half-time introduction before Lewandowski doubled the lead and Sebastian Rudy added a third after coach Jupp Heynckes started a weakened team.
With one eye on Wednesday’s blockbuster Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Real, Heynckes left out several regulars while handing 18-yearold centre-back Lars Lukas Mai his Bundesliga debut.
Arjen Robben captained the side with Thiago Alcantara, James Rodriguez and Jerome Boateng the only other outfield players in Saturday’s line-up likely to start against Real.
Both sides had their chances in a goalless first half before Bayern pulled away after Mueller replaced Robben, the Germany international striking on 57 minutes when his first-time shot from a Juan Bernat cross deflected off Salif Sane and past goalkeeper Philipp Tschauner.
Bayern’s top scorer Lewandowski added a second just six minutes after coming on himself.
Rudy swung in a corner and the Polish forward headed home to score for the 38th time this season in all competitions.
Defensive midfielder Rudy capped the win a minute from time to leave Bayern 23 points clear of second-placed Schalke, who are at bottom side Cologne on Sunday. Ten-man RB Leipzig crashed to a 5-2 home defeat by Hoffenheim in a key clash for the Champions League places next season.
Swedish international Emil Forsberg was sent off for a foul on Florian Grillitsch just after the break with Hoffenheim already 3-0 up. —