The fans were already singing about the Champions League, but coach Christian Streich first offered consolation to the disappointed opponent: In the penultimate game of the 29th matchday, SC Freiburg, led by double goal scorer Michael Gregoritsch, beat the 4-0 (2-0). FC Schalke took another step towards the premier class. For Schalke, however, the clear defeat was another setback in the relegation battle. A week after their furious 5-2 win against Hertha BSC, Schalke could have won the matchday in the bottom of the table and climbed to 15th place. The Royal Blues were unable to take advantage of the mistakes of their direct competitors and remain penultimate five games before the end of the season.
The arch opponent from Dortmund, on the other hand, has taken the lead at the other end of the table and thus exploited the bankruptcy of the crisis Bayern. BVB dismantled Eintracht Frankfurt in the top match and, with a 4-0 (3-0), delivered the longed-for performance record for their own title ambitions in the Bundesliga.
The crisis of record champions FC Bayern Munich is coming to a head. The Munich team lost 3-1 (1-0) at Thomas Tuchel’s former club FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday was head coach for five years from 2009 to 2014.
In front of 33,303 spectators in the sold-out Mainz Arena, Bayern took the lead through a goal by Sadio Mané (29th minute). But Ludovic Ajorque (65′), Leandro Barreiro (73′) and birthday boy Aarón Martín (79′) turned the game sensationally in the second half. Mainz set a new club record with their tenth game without defeat in a row.
Mainz’s tactical concept of giving Bayern little room to develop and chances proved its worth over long stretches. After the end of the premier class, a lot of unrest and many allegations against the sporting leadership around CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, the Bayern players still lacked self-confidence and the will to win.
Mané headed in from a measured cross from João Cancelo. The 31-year-old was a driving force, already in the 14th minute he had served Thomas Müller, who had returned from the start, with a cross pass in front of the goal, but Silvan Widmer from Mainz was able to block the shot at the last second. A minute later, Mané scored for the first time, but after video evidence was used, the goal was disallowed.
The hosts, who had recently won twice at home against FC Bayern, did not allow many more chances. However, the Rheinhessen themselves had hardly any counterattack opportunities. In the 26th minute, Leandro Barreiro had a chance. He sprinted past three Bayern players in the penalty area, but the shot went over his foot. After that, it was Karim Onisiwo who went for goal alone in the 43rd minute, but slipped when trying to shoot at the edge of the box and landed on his stomach.
After the restart, Mainz came up trumps. After a free kick by Aaron, Bayern couldn’t get the ball away, so South Korea’s Jae-sung Lee shot from the back. Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer couldn’t hold the ball and Ajorque heads the ball in. For the French it was the sixth goal in the last eight games. Barreiro (73′) and Aaron (79′) made the Mainz party perfect.
In the fight against relegation, the new, old Hertha coach Pal Dardai experienced a severely disappointing return to the Bundesliga sidelines. The Berliners lost against Werder Bremen after three goals from Marvin Ducksch with 2: 4 (0: 2) and remain bottom of the table. The outstanding Ducksch scored in Berlin in the 6th, 27th and 51st minute. Hertha had no chance in the first half in the sold-out Olympic Stadium for long stretches, next Sunday the Berliners are guests at FC Bayern. Mitchell Weiser (63rd) followed suit for Bremen. The hits from Jessic Ngankam (68th) and Dodi Lukébakio (79th / penalty kick) didn’t help Hertha anymore either.
The Cologne team benefited from a hand penalty decision by referee Robin Braun, who stood in for Benjamin Brand, who was absent at short notice. Florian Kainz (18th) scored from the point. Davie Selke (39.) scored the second Cologne goal, Jan Thielmann (90.2) the third. Kasper Dolberg (90.4) was successful later for TSG.
Wolfsburg took the lead in the tenth minute through Mattias Svanberg’s header, Jakub Kaminski followed up (21′) before Patrick Wimmer (33′) scored. Bochum had little to counter in the first half – at the latest after Svanberg’s second goal (56th) the game was decided. The interim 1: 4 by Moritz Broschinski (69th) did not change anything because Luca Waldschmidt also scored for Wolfsburg (77th).
