Munich, May 9 (BNA): Bayern Munich came from behind, but then drew 2-2 with Stuttgart before receiving the German Bundesliga title, while visitors can enjoy a decisive point in the battle for survival in the Premier League.
Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was unable to block Serge Gnabry’s shot on the goal line and then Thomas Muller turned over Thiago Thomas’ opener to put Bayern ahead at the break.
But Sasa Kalajdic scored the equalizer, moments after Muller hit the post for the second time in the match, and even missed a great opportunity to score three decisive points when Manuel Neuer saved his weak shot.
Bayern won the German league title for the tenth time in a row by winning at home against Borussia Dortmund last month, but it has been faltering since its loss to Mainz last week.
The news that players were going straight to Ibiza on their days off at the start of the week raised eyebrows in some quarters.
Robert Lewandowski hit the crossbar late in the game but Bayern couldn’t find a winner and were even shown a Kingsley Coman red card in overtime for a terrible reaction to the Mavropanos challenge.
They were still in a festive, albeit somewhat quiet, mood when captain Neuer was awarded the trophy, the first ever won by coach Julian Nagelsmann in his career, by league president Donata Hopfen after the full-time whistle in their last home game. They finish in Wolfsburg next week.
“Shortly after the match, when you’re not winning, it wasn’t nice,” the admitted Nagelsmann said on DAZN.
It is the first time since 2019 that Bayern have been able to celebrate the title with their fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Even when there are many here who know the festivities, it is simply always beautiful,” Muller said. “We wanted to win, we were motivated, but we also made mistakes.”
Müller, the record winner, has taken the trophy in 11 of Bayern’s 32 German championships, all but one that came in the Bundesliga era.
Stuttgart was far from joining Bayern Munich in the same spirit in which they stayed in the Bundesliga playoff place before they play their last home game against Cologne next week.
“They can celebrate and maybe we have a chance to put pressure on Hertha with three points next week,” said Stuttgart sporting director Sven Meslintat.
However, they can secure the safety of winning to make up for the three-point difference against Hertha Berlin, who finished the match against Borussia Dortmund, due to the goal difference advantage.
An automatic relegation now looks unlikely with Armenia Bielefeld trailing in second by three points and by seven points worse off when they finished by welcoming Raymond Leipzig.
Leipzig crushed Augsburg 4-0 with a shot from Andre Silva, a double from Christopher Nkunko and a penalty kick from Emil Forsberg to move to the fourth and last place in the Champions League, awaiting the League final on Saturday.
A draw would secure fourth place on goal difference and send them to the cup final against Freiburg a week later at the highest level.
Augsburg, ranked 14th in the German League, was confirmed again next season, despite losing thanks to Stuttgart’s lack of victory.
Goncalo Paciencia’s stunning goal gave 12th-placed Eintracht Frankfurt a 1-1 draw at home against Borussia Monchengladbach while resting the hosts after their Europa League semi-final win on Thursday.
Gladbach, coached by former Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter and in a disappointing 10th place, took an early lead through Alasan Pleaa who smashed the ball into the net.
But Frankfurt, who met Rangers in the Europa League final on May 18 in Seville, equalized via Paciencia’s long-range thunderbolt in 66 minutes.