Bayer Leverkusen reduce Bayern Munich’s lead within the Bundesliga again to eight factors forward of the edges’ Champions League final 16 conflict, with a 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Bayern’s comeback win over Stuttgart on Friday had despatched them 11 factors away from champions Leverkusen.
Wanting to maintain their slim hopes of defending the Bundesliga title alive, Leverkusen didn’t blink in opposition to third-placed Frankfurt, scoring three targets in a seven-minute blitz to seize maintain of the sport.
Nathan Tella latched onto a defence-splitting Granit Xhaka move and slotted house after 26 minutes.
Nordi Mukiele scored Leverkusen’s second three minutes later, prodding a unfastened ball into the objective via a crowded penalty space.
Patrik Schick scored 4 minutes later, sliding in an Alex Grimaldo move, his sixteenth objective in his previous 14 video games.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike took benefit of a poor move from Mukiele to attain within the thirty seventh minute.
Regardless of the hosts beginning the second half brightly, a cracking long-range effort from Aleix Garcia with 63 minutes gone sealed a vital win for Xabi Alonso’s aspect, who go to Bayern in Europe on Wednesday.
“It is easy to speak, however to point out it on the pitch is tougher. We need to present as soon as extra that we will take the struggle to Bayern,” Alonso informed DAZN.
Xhaka felt it was the right preparation for the all-German showdown.
“We’re sturdy sufficient to worsen Bayern subsequent week. There’s nonetheless loads in it for us within the Champions League,” stated Xhaka.
The loss continued Frankfurt’s slide, having misplaced 4-0 at Bayern final week and solely received as soon as in six league matches since Omar Marmoush departed for Manchester Metropolis.
– Dortmund win, Leipzig in freefall –
Serhou Guirassy scored as Borussia Dortmund boosted their faint top-four hopes with a 2-0 win at St Pauli.
Contemporary from scoring 4 targets in a 6-0 demolition of Union Berlin final day trip, Guirassy put Dortmund in entrance 5 minutes into the second half, tapping in a Karim Adeyemi move.
Adeyemi put Dortmund in management with a superb solo objective eight minutes later.
The 23-year-old Adeyemi, one of many smallest gamers on the pitch, latched onto a protracted ball and used his power to grapple previous two defenders earlier than slotting house.
It’s the first time Dortmund have received two in a row within the league this season.
Dortmund, who host Lille within the Champions League final 16 on Tuesday, sit tenth, six factors off fourth with 10 video games remaining.
Guirassy has 24 targets in all competitions for Dortmund since arriving from Stuttgart in July, greater than St Pauli have managed within the league all season.
Leipzig let a one-goal lead slip to lose 2-1 at house in opposition to Mainz, who moved into fourth spot.
Xavi Simons gave Leipzig the very best begin, tucking in a rebound from shut vary after one minute.
Mainz turned the sport on its head in six second-half minutes.
One-time Germany midfielder Nadiem Amiri reduce in from shut vary after 52 minutes and present nationwide group striker Jonathan Burkhardt added a second quickly after.
Leipzig have received simply considered one of their previous eight video games within the league and are at risk of lacking out on Champions League qualification for the primary time since 2017-18.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg saved their hopes of European qualification on monitor with a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen, due to a double from Patrick Wimmer.
Wolfsburg are seventh, one level and one place behind Leipzig, who occupy the UEFA Convention League qualification spot.
A Robin Hack double and a Nathan Ngoumou objective took Borussia Moenchengladbach to a 3-0 win at Heidenheim, drawing them degree with Wolfsburg on 37 factors.
Heidenheim picked up a vital win of their bid to keep away from the drop, beating lowly Bochum 1-0 with Bayern-bound Tom Bischof scoring the one objective.
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