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DPA
Berlin
Bayern Munich faced losing the league lead when they went two goals down inside 10 minutes, and Saturday’s results confirm that they need to be on their guard if they want to secure a ninth straight Bundesliga title.
Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick helped Bayern come back to beat long-time rivals Borussia Dortmund 4-2 with which they remained two points ahead of RB Leipzig who had briefly gone on top by winning 3-0 in Freiburg a few hours earlier.
The two contenders face each other after the international break on April 4 and neither side will want to slip up before - or after in a title duel that could go all the way until the May 22 finale.
“RB Leipzig leave no doubt in Freiburg that they are the most serious Bayern rivals,” the Sueddeutsche Zeitung paper said on Sunday, while Kicker sports magazine noted that “Bayern deliver when the pressure is biggest.” Bayern ran away with seven of their eight straight titles since 2013 but have not looked as sharp this term.
They recently lost a seven-point league lead and have lost more games in the first weeks of 2021 (two) than in the entire treble-winning 2020 (one).
Bayern boast the league’s best attack with 71 goals, including 31 from Lewandowski who with 31 goals is approaching Gerd Mueller’s all-time record 40, which has helped them overcome shipping 34.
Leipzig are the opposite, scoring just 46 goals in the post Timo Werner era but conceding only 20.
“The most important is the clean sheet,” midfielder Kevin Kampl said after the Freiburg game which marked their sixth straight victory.
“We’re doing brilliantly in defence. It all starts with our attackers, who are engaged early. That helps us win the ball high and have a short route to goal. That’s working well at the moment.
“We want to keep it up
and pick up as many points as possible.”
The eastern Germans have have said they will be ready to pounce should Bayern falter as they seek their first-ever silverware.
“We have the appetite and spirit to win games, even when we have to remain patient to do so. We’ve grown together into a team, want to win every game and are simply playing great football,” playmaker Emil Forsberg said.
Bayern meanwhile come back yet again against Dortmund after falling behind from Erling Haaland’s brace, with the go-ahead 3-2 goal from Leon Goretzka not coming until the 88th minute.
Berlin
Bayern Munich faced losing the league lead when they went two goals down inside 10 minutes, and Saturday’s results confirm that they need to be on their guard if they want to secure a ninth straight Bundesliga title.
Robert Lewandowski’s hat-trick helped Bayern come back to beat long-time rivals Borussia Dortmund 4-2 with which they remained two points ahead of RB Leipzig who had briefly gone on top by winning 3-0 in Freiburg a few hours earlier.
The two contenders face each other after the international break on April 4 and neither side will want to slip up before - or after in a title duel that could go all the way until the May 22 finale.
“RB Leipzig leave no doubt in Freiburg that they are the most serious Bayern rivals,” the Sueddeutsche Zeitung paper said on Sunday, while Kicker sports magazine noted that “Bayern deliver when the pressure is biggest.” Bayern ran away with seven of their eight straight titles since 2013 but have not looked as sharp this term.
They recently lost a seven-point league lead and have lost more games in the first weeks of 2021 (two) than in the entire treble-winning 2020 (one).
Bayern boast the league’s best attack with 71 goals, including 31 from Lewandowski who with 31 goals is approaching Gerd Mueller’s all-time record 40, which has helped them overcome shipping 34.
Leipzig are the opposite, scoring just 46 goals in the post Timo Werner era but conceding only 20.
“The most important is the clean sheet,” midfielder Kevin Kampl said after the Freiburg game which marked their sixth straight victory.
“We’re doing brilliantly in defence. It all starts with our attackers, who are engaged early. That helps us win the ball high and have a short route to goal. That’s working well at the moment.
“We want to keep it up
and pick up as many points as possible.”
The eastern Germans have have said they will be ready to pounce should Bayern falter as they seek their first-ever silverware.
“We have the appetite and spirit to win games, even when we have to remain patient to do so. We’ve grown together into a team, want to win every game and are simply playing great football,” playmaker Emil Forsberg said.
Bayern meanwhile come back yet again against Dortmund after falling behind from Erling Haaland’s brace, with the go-ahead 3-2 goal from Leon Goretzka not coming until the 88th minute.
