Xabi Alonso’s team won 1-0 (1-0) at Union Berlin on Saturday, while their pursuers Bayern Munich lost 3-2 at FC Heidenheim after leading 2-0 at the break. Leverkusen has a 16-point lead with six rounds to go and can secure the title in next Sunday’s home game against Werder Bremen. The “unbeatables” from Leverkusen extended their super series and remained undefeated in the 41st competitive game of the season. The Werkself didn’t perform masterfully, but Florian Wirtz scored in stoppage time in the first half (45th + 8th) with a hand penalty caused by Christopher Trimmel (until 63rd). Leverkusen played in the majority for a long time after Union’s Robin Gosens (45th + 3) was sent off.
With the success in Köpenick, the Werkself equalized a Bundesliga record, as no team has ever gone more than 28 games in a row undefeated in one season. Bayern have achieved these series in 2013/14 under coach Pep Guardiola and Borussia Dortmund in 2011/12 under Jürgen Klopp.
While Leverkusen can revel in anticipation, FC Bayern, who are in serious trouble, have to deal with an embarrassment before their Champions League hit at Arsenal. Harry Kane (38th) and Serge Gnabry (45th) gave the favorites the lead, but Kevin Sessa (50th) and double goalscorer Tim Kleindienst (51st, 79th) turned the game in favor of the hosts and thus caused the sensation.
“Dare anything today – beat Bayern” was written on a large banner in front of the Heidenheim fan block. But the people of Munich (including Konrad Laimer) were initially unimpressed. Kane’s leadership of Bayern was therefore deserved. Through Thomas Müller, who played his 700th competitive game for Munich and is only ahead of iconic goalkeeper Sepp Maier (709), and Gnabry, the ball landed at the star English striker, who scored his 32nd league goal of the season. Shortly before the break, Gnabry headed the score to 2-0.
Shortly after the break, the Munich defense was taken by surprise twice within a minute and a half. And things got even worse. Eleven minutes before the end, Kleindienst scored again and the Bayern defense didn’t look good once again.
Important victories for ÖFB legionnaires
In the two direct duels between the relegation candidates, FSV Mainz (with Philipp Mwene up to 86th) and 1. FC Köln (with Florian Kainz and Dejan Ljubicic) celebrated important victories. Mainz won 4-0 against bottom team Darmstadt (with Mathias Honsak and Christoph Klarer, Emir Karic from 75th) with 4-0 and is only three points behind the saving 15th place because VfL Bochum (with Kevin Stöger up to 77th) in Cologne lost a 1-0 lead in the finish and lost 1-2.
The Cologne team seemed to be on the way to the second division before they started a crazy final spurt with two goals in stoppage time and dragged Bochum deeper into the relegation battle. Steffen Tigges (91st) and Luca Waldschmidt (92nd) ensured the frenetically celebrated success in front of 50,000 spectators, which was no longer thought possible. It was the first win for Cologne since the beginning of February.
This means Bochum (26), Mainz (23) and Cologne (22) moved closer together. Darmstadt is nine points behind the relegation place occupied by Mainz and is facing relegation.
