Sports
BAYERN Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said the Bundesliga title race is over with seven games to play after his side lost 2-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund.
Goals from Karim Adeyemi and Julian Ryerson gave Dortmund their first Der Klassiker victory since 2019.
The defeat leaves Bayern 13 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who beat Hoffenheim earlier on Saturday.
Asked if Bayern were out of title contention, departing boss Tuchel said: “Obviously, yes.”
He added: “After today’s game there is no more need to count points. How many is it now? Congratulations to Leverkusen.”
Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will stay at the club next season, ending speculation he could succeed Tuchel at Bayern or join Liverpool.
The Spaniard looks set to lead Leverkusen to a first league title, with the club needing just three wins from seven remaining games to stop Bayern winning a 12th consecutive Bundesliga.
Dortmund’s win – their first at Bayern in 10 years – has boosted their chances of a top-four finish and they are now three points clear of fifth-placed RB Leipzig.
Kane draws blank on injury return
After hitting a hat-trick in November’s 4-1 win over Dortmund there were high hopes for Harry Kane in the 135th edition of Der Klassiker.
The England captain, who moved to Bayern from Tottenham in the summer, is the Bundesliga’s top scorer this season with 31 goals.
Having missed the Three Lions’ two recent friendlies with an ankle injury, he was deemed fit to start and should have scored twice in the first half, but two close-range headers were off target.
Instead it was Dortmund who struck first when Adeyemi, played through on goal by Julian Brandt, outpaced Matthijs de Ligt before firing past Sven Ulreich.
Eric Dier came close to getting Bayern back on level terms before the break, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of Mats Hummels, who had an outstanding game against his former club.
With Bayern pushing hard for a equaliser it left room for Edin Terzic’s side to counter-attack into and Norwegian full-back Ryerson found himself in acres of space when he swept a composed finish across Ulreich.
Kane had a quiet second half but thought he had headed home Noussair Mazraoui’s cross in the 89th minute, only for a Video Assistant Referee review to rule he was narrowly offside.
BBC
31st March, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: Bayern Munich Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga Thomas Tuchel
