LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Bayern Munich lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, their first home “Der Klassiker” loss in a decade, allowing Bayer Leverkusen, who came back to win 2-1 over Hoffenheim, to go 13 points clear with seven games remaining.
Leverkusen’s victory put the onus on Bayern in Saturday’s late match, but the German champions lost at home with Dortmund scoring goals in each half through Munich-born Karim Adeyemi and defender Julian Ryerson.
Harry Kane had the ball in the net in the dying stages to give Bayern hope of a comeback, but the England captain’s goal was struck off for offside.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel sent “congratulations to Leverkusen.”
Asked if the title race was over, Tuchel replied “of course,” saying “it’s self-evident, clear.”
Bayern defender Joshua Kimmich was livid and publicly criticized his team.
“I wonder how we can put in such a performance in a game like this. It’s completely incomprehensible.
“In the second half you had the feeling that nothing was at stake, it was like a friendly.
“We need to go home and question ourselves.”
Dortmund’s first league win in Munich in 3,641 days, dating back to 2014 when Jurgen Klopp was in the dugout, took them three points clear of RB Leipzig and back into fourth place with the battle for the Champions League intensifying.
The win in Munich “took too long” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic.
“We had a bit of luck, but we worked hard for it,” Terzic told Sky.
Earlier on Saturday, Maximilian Baier gave Hoffenheim a 1-0 lead at Leverkusen.
But with this season’s unbeaten record in serious danger a day after Xabi Alonso pledged to stay on as coach for another year, the league leaders hit back.
Robert Andrich levelled in the 88th minute before an injury-time Patrik Schick volley sealed another remarkable comeback win.
Leverkusen’s late win continued their record of victories in the dying moments this season.
Alonso’s side have scored late to beat Augsburg, Leipzig, Stuttgart in the German Cup and Qarabag twice against in the Europa League.
“I was always optimistic,” Alonso told reporters. “We said at half-time that one goal is important. Everything can change in one moment.
“We have a winner’s mentality — we built that for ourselves this season.”
“We kept fighting and kept believing until the end,” Leverkusen goalscorer Andrich said to Sky.
“I had no doubt we’d score at least one today. I knew eventually one of our shots had to go in.”
The midfielder, who stood alongside his coach as the team celebrated in front of the home fans after the match, said Alonso told the players on Friday he would stay beyond the season.
“He said he wasn’t going anywhere — he said he’d stay here.
“The timing he chose was very good. Now we can keep pushing and hopefully achieve something great this season.”
Dortmund’s win meant RB Leipzig’s bid for a Champions League spot took a hit, after the German Cup holders played out a scoreless draw at home against lowly Mainz despite dominating possession and territory.
The home side were twice denied in the opening half, with an eighth-minute handball penalty overturned by VAR and a Lois Openda goal chalked off for offside.
“I can’t hear another word about expected goals — we just didn’t take our chances,” lamented Leipzig’s David Raum.
Champions League regulars for the past decade, RB Leipzig and Dortmund face off in the league in late April at the Red Bull Arena.
New Wolfsburg manager Ralph Hasenhuettl, the former Southampton coach, claimed victory in his first match in charge, 2-0 at Werder Bremen.
Bremen were reduced to 10 men just before half time following a last-man foul from Anthony Jung. Maxence Lacroix put the Wolves in front shortly afterwards.
Lacroix was sent off in the second half, but Wolfsburg’s Lovro Majer scored to seal the win.
Freiburg took a step toward European qualification in long-serving coach Christian Streich’s final season at the club with a 3-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach.
The Black Forest side were in full control against struggling Gladbach, Michael Gregoritsch, Merlin Roehl and Ritsu Doan all scoring goals.
Union Berlin held Eintracht Frankfurt to a 0-0 away draw, picking up a valuable point to go nine clear of the relegation spots.
‘It’s all over’: Bayern defeat sends Leverkusen 13 points clear
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‘It’s all over’: Bayern defeat sends Leverkusen 13 points clear
- Leverkusen’s victory put the onus on Bayern in Saturday’s late match
- The German champions lost at home with Dortmund scoring goals in each half through Munich-born Karim Adeyemi and defender Julian Ryerson
Jeers as Real Madrid loses 2-1 to Man City and pressure grows on Alonso. Arsenal wins, PSG draws
- Record 15-time European champions Madrid are seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16
- Italian champions Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos
MANCHESTER, England: The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso and a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday raised further questions about his future.
Arsenal remains perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain was held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao.
The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round and Alonso had faced reports this week that he had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after a latest defeat. It’s now just two wins in eight games for Madrid and back-to-back home losses.
There were jeers inside the Bernabeu at the final whistle.
“We know it’s a tough moment for us and for the coach,” Madrid winger Rodrygo said. “Things are not going our way and I wanted to show that we are behind our the coach. He has been trying. I wanted to show that we are together and we need to be united to keep moving forward and achieve our goals.”
Rodrygo had put Madrid in front in the 28th minute, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland before halftime sealed victory for City.
Alonso looked frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his blunt attack waste chances to salvage something in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappé, who was an unused substitute.
Vinicius Junior failed to hit the target with two chances from close range and Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Asked if he was worried about his future, Alonso said: “I’m worried about our next match. The important thing here is Real Madrid. It’s about the team, the players, and how I can help them. This isn’t about me.”
Bellingham said the squad was “100 percent” behind Alonso.
“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.
Record 15-time European champion Madrid is seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.
“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said.
Arsenal stays perfect
Top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League, too, Arsenal swept aside Club Brugge to maintain its 100 percent record in Europe.
Noni Madueke scored twice and Gabriel Martinelli got the other for Mikel Arteta’s team, which has seen its lead in England’s top flight cut from six points to two in recent weeks.
There are no such concerns in Europe.
“Our mentality is our strength,” Arteta said.
PSG couldn’t find a winner in Bilbao, but with 13 points after six games, the French giant has already equaled the total amount it picked up in the league phase last season before going on to win the trophy.
Italian champion Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos.
Both Napoli and Juventus have only won two of their six games in the league phase.
Newcastle denied late
Alejandro Grimaldo made the difference again for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring in the 88th to rescue a 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand missed the game for personal reasons, the club said an hour before kickoff.
Jeers rang out at full time at Borussia Dortmund after Norway’s Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-2 draw, equalizing twice after Julian Brandt goals for Dortmund.
The result helps neither team, with Dortmund’s chances of direct qualification for the round of 16 taking a dent. Bodo/Glimt has three draws but no wins in its debut Champions League season.
Ajax rallies to beat Qarabag
Ajax scored three goals late in the game to deny Qarabag a surprise win in one of the early kickoffs.
Four-time European champion Ajax twice trailed against its Azerbaijani opponent, but fought back to win 4-2 in Baku.
Qarabag has been one of the surprise packages in this season’s competition and led after 10 minutes through Camilo Duran. Matheus Silva scored two minutes into the second half to make it 2-1 after Kasper Dolberg had leveled for Ajax.
But Ajax powered back with three goals in 11 minutes. Oscar Gloukh scored in the 79th and 90th, with Anton Gaaei getting the other in the 82nd.
Copenhagen also scored late to win 3-2 at Villarreal.
Substitute Andreas Cornelius struck in the 90th to seal victory in a game where Copenhagen had twice been pegged back after taking the lead.
