Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm celebrate their win over Borussia Moenchengladbach, in Moenchengladbach yesterday. (AFP)
AFP/Moenchengladbach
Bayern Munich came from two goals down to seal a 4-3 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach, while their Champions League final opponents, Borussia Dortmund, lost 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim on the final day of the Bundesliga yesterday.
Champions Bayern dug deep for their 29th league victory in 34 matches as Franck Ribery scored twice, then set up Arjen Robben for the winner after Gladbach had scored three goals in the opening 10 minutes.
“The first ten minutes didn’t go as we had imagined,” admitted coach Jupp Heynckes after his 1011th and final Bundesliga game, with Pep Guardiola to take charge of Bayern next month. “I had the feeling the team were still at last Saturday’s party to celebrate the league title. But the team slowly got the game under control and we played like we’re used to in the second half. I realised my team wanted to win for me.”
Bayern finish the season with 25 Bundesliga records, including most wins, most points (91), fewest goals conceded (18) and the biggest points lead over the side in second (25).
Fielding the side likely to start the Champions League final at Wembley next Saturday, and despite previously conceding only four goals away all season, Bayern leaked three goals in the first action-packed 10 minutes.
Borussia raced into the lead as Austrian defender Martin Stranzl headed home, then 66 seconds later striker Mike Hanke, on his last appearance for Borussia, added Gladbach’s second after a mistake by Bayern centre-back Dante. Munich’s Javi Martinez pulled one back when he converted Ribery’s pass on seven minutes, but Bayern went 3-1 down when Norway’s Havard Nordtveit rolled his shot past Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
With Heynckes fuming on the sidelines, Ribery pulled a second back with a crisp shot to make it 3-2 on 18 minutes. He then saved Bayern’s blushes by equalising on 53 minutes, before his cross found Robben at the far post, with the Dutch winger tapping home to give Bayern the lead for the first time just before the hour mark.