GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany: With players keen to avoid injury risks ahead of the World Cup, Bayern Munich stretched their Bundesliga lead to six points after a 2-0 win over Schalke on Saturday in their last game before the tournament in Qatar.
Bayern lacked some of their usual intensity as Julian Nagelmann’s team cruised to victory against last-place Schalke thanks to goals from Serge Gnabry and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Bayern were without Sadio Mané — because of a fibula injury which has made the Senegal forward a World Cup doubt — while Canada left back Alphonso Davies has a muscle issue and Nagelsmann opted not to risk Thomas Müller after the experienced German had a run of minor injuries.
Schalke held Bayern at bay until the 38th minute when Gnabry ran onto Jamal Musiala’s smart backheel pass to score the opener. Choupo-Moting, heading to his third World Cup with Cameroon, finished off a quick counterattack in the 52nd for his seventh goal in his last seven Bundesliga games.
Bayern forward Leroy Sané’s younger brother Sidi made his league debut off the bench for Schalke. The brothers weren’t on the field together as Leroy was taken off five minutes before his 19-year-old brother came on.
Around the country, German fan groups continued to display banners urging fans not to watch the upcoming World Cup. A large banner reading “Boycott Qatar 2022” was displayed along one side of Hertha Berlin’s stadium, and similar messages were shown at Schalke, Werder Bremen, Augsburg and at other games.
Leipzig rose to second with a 2-1 win at Bremen. Xaver Schlager surged into the penalty area and held off a stern challenge from Amos Pieper to restore Leipzig’s lead in the 71st minute after a fortunate deflected equalizer for promoted Werder. Leipzig could drop back to fourth depending on results Sunday.
Bayer Leverkusen continued their recent resurgence under coach Xabi Alonso, beating Stuttgart 2-0 for their third consecutive win to move up to 11th after weeks of hovering just above the relegation zone. Forward Moussa Diaby scored for the sixth time in Leverkusen’s last seven league games.
Ecuador midfielder Carlos Gruezo covered his face with his jersey and was comforted by his Augsburg teammates as he limped off with an injury that could put his World Cup chances in jeopardy. Bochum beat Augsburg 1-0 for their third win in five league games but remain second from last.
Ridle Baku was overlooked for Germany’s World Cup squad, but the Wolfsburg wing back responded by scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 defeat of Hoffenheim. Goals from Wilfried Kanga and Marco Richter lifted Hertha Berlin to a 2-0 win over Cologne to stay clear of the relegation places.
Bayern stretches Bundesliga lead ahead of World Cup break
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Bayern stretches Bundesliga lead ahead of World Cup break
- Nagelsmann opted not to risk Thomas Müller after the experienced German had a run of minor injuries
- Leipzig rose to second with a 2-1 win at Bremen
Rodrygo’s winner lifts Real Madrid past Alaves to end losing streak
- The victory keeps Real second in the standings on 39 points, four adrift of Barcelona, while Alaves are 12th on 18 points
VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain: Rodrygo secured Real Madrid a crucial 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves on Sunday in LaLiga, ending a dismal run of form and keeping them within four points of leaders Barcelona.
Real, under pressure after two straight losses in all competitions, broke the deadlock through Kylian Mbappe’s stunning first-half strike.
However, a resilient Alaves levelled in the 68th minute through Carlos Vicente. The visitors restored their lead eight minutes later, courtesy of a counter-attack led by Vinicius Jr, whose assist was converted by Rodrygo.
The victory keeps Real second in the standings on 39 points, four adrift of Barcelona, while Alaves are 12th on 18 points.
The narrow triumph in the Basque Country provided manager Xabi Alonso with much-needed breathing space after a run of two wins from their previous eight matches across all competitions.
Sunday’s victory demonstrated Real’s resilience and ongoing weaknesses. Despite taking a 24th-minute lead through Mbappe’s spectacular strike, they found themselves outplayed by an Alaves side roared on by a sold-out Mendizorrotza stadium.
Mbappe had opened the scoring in trademark fashion after Jude Bellingham threaded a long pass to the French forward, who ran down the left channel before cutting inside and unleashing a bullet strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Despite Real’s early lead, Alaves grew dominant as the first half progressed. The hosts pressured Real’s makeshift defense, which featured 19-year-old academy graduate Victor Valdepenas in his senior debut at left back.
Alaves’ pressure was eventually rewarded in the 68th minute when substitute Vicente, introduced moments earlier, latched onto Antonio Blanco’s long ball and surged past Real’s high defensive line to finish into the top corner.
Initially flagged offside, Vicente’s goal was awarded after a VAR review confirmed the forward had timed his run perfectly.
Real’s winner came as Vinicius wrestled past a defender on the left flank before driving into the penalty area and delivering a low cross, finding Rodrygo, who slid in to steer the ball home from close range.
“It was a tough, very competitive match,” Alonso told a press conference.
“We started well and took the lead, but then we lost control and, as a result, we didn’t finish well. We had chances in the second half, but we conceded from the only mistake Valdepenas made and Carlos Vicente took advantage of that, after a great pass.
“But the team continued to fight hard, battling it out in a difficult stadium against a very intense opponent. That second goal gave us the three points and we’re leaving here very happy.”
