Bayern Munich suffered a shocking 3-2 home defeat to Bochum on Saturday, despite title challengers Bayer Leverkusen also falling 2-0 to Werder Bremen.
The loss, Bayern’s second of the season, did little to affect their commanding lead in the Bundesliga, with the Bavarians still holding an eight-point advantage over second-placed Leverkusen, who have nine games left to play.
Leverkusen’s woes were compounded by an injury to key midfielder Florian Wirtz, who limped off the pitch just 14 minutes into the second half after a rough challenge.
With an eye on Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 return leg against Leverkusen, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany made several changes to his starting lineup, leaving striker Harry Kane on the bench.
Bayern initially took the lead through a 14th-minute goal by Raphael Guerreiro, who hammered a loose ball into the net. However, Serge Gnabry missed a 21st-minute penalty after stepping in for Kane. Gnabry, who has previously converted 30 consecutive penalties, hit the post.
Guerreiro doubled Bayern’s lead with a rare header in the 28th minute, but Bochum quickly responded with a stunning rocket from Jakov Medic three minutes later.
Things worsened for Bayern just before halftime, when Joao Palhinha was sent off for a reckless challenge on Giorgos Masouras, leaving Bayern to play with 10 men.
Bochum seized the opportunity in the second half. Ibrahima Sissoko headed them level just six minutes after the break, and Matus Bero’s 71st-minute strike, after a swift counter-attack, put the visitors ahead. Bero’s goal was a thrilling individual effort, going the length of the field to finish off a Philipp Hofmann pass.
Bochum’s surprise victory, their first in Munich since 1991, lifted them three points clear of the automatic relegation zone.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany, reflecting on the defeat, said, “There are no excuses – we lost. Even with 10 men, we should have expected at least a draw.”
Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s loss to Bremen came early in the match, with Romano Schmid scoring just seven minutes in. Leverkusen struggled to find their rhythm, and a second-half substitution of Wirtz was followed by a brutal foul that saw him limp off the field after just eight minutes of play. Wirtz, who has been pivotal for Leverkusen this season, left the pitch on crutches, leaving coach Xabi Alonso worried about his star midfielder’s condition ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League return leg against Bayern, where Leverkusen trail 3-0 from the first leg.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” Alonso said post-match, referring to Wirtz’s injury. “We don’t have any results yet.”
Bremen’s Mitchell Weiser, who fouled Wirtz, expressed his regret, saying, “I hope it’s not that bad – I’m lucky it wasn’t a red card.”
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund’s slim top-four hopes took a hit with a 1-0 home loss to Augsburg, with Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s first-half header securing the win for the visitors. Dortmund were lackluster in attack and failed to break down an Augsburg defense that has conceded just three goals in the league this year – the best in Europe.
Dortmund, last season’s Champions League finalists, now sit in 10th place, seven points adrift of the top four.
In other matches, St Pauli ended a five-match goal drought with a 1-1 draw at Wolfsburg, while fellow promoted side Holstein Kiel earned a hard-fought 2-2 draw at home against Stuttgart.
Later on Saturday, Freiburg will host RB Leipzig.
AFP
