BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen cut Bayern Munich’s lead in the Bundesliga back to eight points ahead of the sides’ Champions League last 16 clash, with a 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Bayern’s comeback win over Stuttgart on Friday had sent them 11 points clear of champions Leverkusen.
Wanting to keep their slim hopes of defending the Bundesliga title alive, Leverkusen did not blink against third-placed Frankfurt, scoring three goals in a seven-minute blitz to grab hold of the game.
Nathan Tella latched onto a defense-splitting Granit Xhaka pass and slotted home after 26 minutes.
Nordi Mukiele scored Leverkusen’s second three minutes later, prodding a loose ball into the goal through a crowded penalty area.
Patrik Schick scored four minutes later, sliding in an Alex Grimaldo pass, his 16th goal in his past 14 games.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike took advantage of a poor pass from Mukiele to score in the 37th minute.
Despite the hosts starting the second half brightly, a cracking long-range effort from Aleix Garcia with 63 minutes gone sealed a crucial win for Xabi Alonso’s side, who go to Bayern in Europe on Wednesday.
“It’s easy to talk, but to show it on the pitch is harder. We want to show once more that we can take the fight to Bayern,” Alonso told DAZN.
Xhaka felt it was the perfect preparation for the all-German showdown.
“We’re strong enough to aggravate Bayern next week. There’s still plenty in it for us in the Champions League,” said Xhaka.
The loss continued Frankfurt’s slide, having lost 4-0 at Bayern last week and only won once in six league matches since Omar Marmoush departed for Manchester City.
Serhou Guirassy scored as Borussia Dortmund boosted their faint top-four hopes with a 2-0 win at St. Pauli.
Fresh from scoring four goals in a 6-0 demolition of Union Berlin last time out, Guirassy put Dortmund in front five minutes into the second half, tapping in a Karim Adeyemi pass.
Adeyemi put Dortmund in control with an excellent solo goal eight minutes later.
The 23-year-old Adeyemi, one of the smallest players on the pitch, latched onto a long ball and used his strength to grapple past two defenders before slotting home.
It is the first time Dortmund have won two in a row in the league this season.
Dortmund, who host Lille in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, sit 10th, six points off fourth with 10 games remaining.
Guirassy has 24 goals in all competitions for Dortmund since arriving from Stuttgart in July, more than St. Pauli have managed in the league all season.
Leipzig let a one-goal lead slip to lose 2-1 at home against Mainz, who moved into fourth spot.
Xavi Simons gave Leipzig the best possible start, tucking in a rebound from close range after one minute.
Mainz turned the game on its head in six second-half minutes.
One-time Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri cut in from close range after 52 minutes and current national team striker Jonathan Burkhardt added a second soon after.
Leipzig have won just one of their past eight games in the league and are in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time since 2017-18.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg kept their hopes of European qualification on track with a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen, thanks to a double from Patrick Wimmer.
Wolfsburg are seventh, one point and one place behind Leipzig, who occupy the UEFA Conference League qualification spot.
A Robin Hack double and a Nathan Ngoumou goal took Borussia Moenchengladbach to a 3-0 win at Heidenheim, drawing them level with Wolfsburg on 37 points.
Heidenheim picked up a crucial win in their bid to avoid the drop, beating lowly Bochum 1-0 with Bayern-bound Tom Bischof scoring the only goal.
Leverkusen stay in sight of Bayern before Champions League showdown
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Leverkusen stay in sight of Bayern before Champions League showdown
- Nathan Tella latched onto a defense-splitting Granit Xhaka pass and slotted home after 26 minutes
- Nordi Mukiele scored Leverkusen’s second three minutes later, prodding a loose ball into the goal through a crowded penalty area
Neto treble fires Chelsea’s FA Cup rout of Hull
- It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior
KINGSTON UPON HULL: Chelsea eased into the FA Cup fifth round as Pedro Neto’s hat-trick inspired a 4-0 win at Hull on Liam Rosenior’s return to the club that sacked him two years ago.
Rosenior’s side took the lead through Neto’s superb first-half strike before the Portugal forward netted again after the break.
Estevao Willian scored Chelsea’s third and Neto completed his treble to wrap up the fourth round rout at the MKM Stadium.
It was an emotional evening for Blues boss Rosenior as he faced the club that ruthlessly severed their long relationship with him in 2024.
Rosenior supported Hull as a child alongside his season-ticket holding grandmother, played for the club across five years and managed them for two seasons.
He was sacked after narrowly failing to reach the Championship play-offs amid criticism of his team’s conservative tactics.
Despite the painful end to his time at Hull, the 41-year-old said it was an “amazing thing” to return to Humberside and he took full advantage of the chance to show his old club what they had missed out on.
“This club means a lot not just to me but also my family for many reasons,” Rosenior said.
“I do hope they make the Premier League this year, but because of our attitude and application, that is what gave us the platform to win tonight.”
Rosenior has made an impressive start at Chelsea since arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca in January, winning eight out of his first 11 matches in all competitions.
He made seven changes, with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro among those to miss out, but Chelsea were still too strong for the Championship promotion chasers.
“Pedro Neto has been outstanding, he works so hard and has so much quality. I’m delighted to see him get the goals,” Rosenior said.
“The most pleasing aspect was the mentality. It was a really strong performance in terms of the mental application you need to be successful. Everyone worked really hard for each other.”
Chelsea dominated possession to such an extent that it was little surprise when they finally made the breakthrough in the 40th minute.
Liam Delap teed up Neto and he whipped a superb finish into the corner from 20 yards.
Andrey Santos’ towering header was pushed over by Dillon Phillips after the interval and, from the resulting corner, Chelsea doubled their lead in the 51st minute.
Neto’s inswinger caught Phillips flat-footed at the near post, bouncing through his legs without a touch from either team.
Chelsea had blown a two-goal advantage in their 2-2 draw with Leeds in the Premier League on Tuesday.
But there was no chance of a repeat and Estevao grabbed their third with a composed finish from 12 yards in the 59th minute.
Neto made it four in the 71st minute, caressing a low finish past Phillips from Delap’s lay-off.
Wrexham beat fellow Championship side Ipswich 1-0 in Friday’s other fourth round tie.
The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, are into the last 16 for the first time since 1996-97.
