FC Bayern remains at the top of the table in the Bundesliga in a neck-and-neck race with Borussia Dortmund. One day after Dortmund’s success over RB Leipzig, the Munich team followed up with a lackluster 2-1 (1-0) win at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday evening. With 49 points, Bayern, who also had a successful dress rehearsal for the Champions League cracker against Paris Saint-Germain, are ahead of BVB, who are tied on points, thanks to the better goal difference. Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt gave Bayern the lead with a long-range shot (40′). Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (62nd), who has just extended his contract until 2024, scored the second goal against the Swabians, who were threatened with relegation. Juan José Perea only managed the connecting goal (88th) for the courageous VfB. In the end, Stuttgart threw everything forward – but Bayern trembled to a narrow away win.
Goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow has extended 1. FC Union Berlin’s undefeated home run in the Bundesliga, but after the zero number against 1. FC Köln, the Köpenickers lost touch with the top of the table. On matchday 23, Urs Fischer’s team drew against the Rhinelanders in front of 22,012 spectators in the sold-out Alte Försterei. As in the last league home game of Berlin against Schalke 04, both teams remained without a goal. The Irons have been waiting for a win and a goal in the league for three games.
After the bitter 4-0 defeat in Mainz, Borussia Mönchengladbach has at least stabilized a little with a zero number against Champions League aspirant SC Freiburg. For coach Daniel Farke, the situation is not easy, the fluctuations of his team were too big recently. In front of 53,014 spectators in Borussia Park, the Gladbachers were the more active team with the better chances, but did not get past the 0:0. Freiburg, who will play Juventus in the Europa League next Thursday, could have achieved a place in the Champions League with a win.
Manuel Riemann gave his ex-coach Thomas Reis a gift of victory on his explosive return with FC Schalke 04 to VfL Bochum. A slapstick own goal by the VfL goalkeeper (45th minute) led to the promoted team making it 2-0 (1-0) at the bottom of the Bundesliga table. After a cross from Rodrigo Zalazar, Bülter’s ball bounced past Riemann. But instead of catching the ball in front of the line, the 34-year-old unhappily pushed the ball over the line. Marius Bülter (78th) made the second win in a row perfect for Schalke, who were still undefeated in the back series.
The main focus was on the long-serving Bochumer Reis, who is currently well on the way to keeping Schalke in the league after all. The former Bochum professional, youth coach and coach Reis is said to have informed the VfL officials last summer after Schalke’s promotion to Gelsenkirchen. Bochum rejected this and finally gave Reis a leave of absence after a catastrophic false start with six defeats from the first six games and plenty of discord. Reis himself had always denied any contact with Schalke, but switched to Schalke just a few weeks after leaving Bochum as Frank Kramer’s successor. The Bochum fans had blamed him for this. The reception when Reis returned to the Ruhrstadion was correspondingly chilly. “If you’re not a dishonorable bastard, who is?” was a poster in the VfL fan corner before the game. There were also “We are Bochumers and you are not” chants.
FC Augsburg continues to diligently collect their points at home for another year in the Bundesliga. The hard-fought 2:1 (1:1) against SV Werder Bremen was the fourth home win this year, and the points account grew to 27 points. In a game marked by individual dropouts on Saturday, Dion Beljo (5th minute) and Arne Maier (46th) scored in front of 30,660 spectators for FCA, who proved to be quick starters in both halves. Jens Stage was successful for the guests (14th). In the end, the Fuggerstadt defended their own goal with 10 players and goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz – who, like in the first leg, tangled with the Werder fans and repeatedly provoked with provocative gestures. In injury time, referee Felix Zwayer denied Bremen a legitimate penalty, and VAR did not intervene from outside either.
At TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, concerns about relegation are growing. The 0:1 (0:1) in the Bundesliga game at FSV Mainz 05 was the seventh defeat in a row and the 13th game without a win – a negative club record. In addition, there are still only 19 points for the Kraichgauer who stayed on relegation place 16. In front of 28,100 spectators, Leandro Barreiro (33rd minute) scored the winning goal for Mainz. With the support of coach Bo Svensson, who has recovered from flu, on the sidelines, the Rheinhessen team was able to celebrate their fourth win in a row and now have 35 points to secure a midfield position.
BVB won 2-1 (2-0) in the top game against fourth-placed RB Leipzig on Friday evening. Marco Reus (21st, penalty kick) and Emre Can (39th) scored the BVB goals in front of 81,365 spectators in the sold-out Dortmund stadium, Emil Forsberg (74th) scored for Leipzig. After their fifth defeat of the season, the Saxons with former BVB coach Marco Rose are now seven points behind Borussia. Due to Bayern’s victory on Saturday evening, Dortmund only managed to temporarily lead the table.
