File picture of Bayern Munich’s midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger celebrating after his team defeated Hertha BSC Berlin 1-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
DPA/Berlin
Bayern Munich were crowned as German champions for the 25th time yesterday when second-placed Wolfsburg lost 1-0 away to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Bayern have an unassailable lead of 15 points over Wolfsburg with four games remaining. The title is their third in succession and second in a row with present coach Pep Guardiola.
Despite needing to win to extend the title race, Wolfsburg rarely threatened Gladbach. It was the hosts who spurned the best chances before Max Kruse scored a 90th minute winner.
Earlier yesterday Werder Bremen fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Paderborn. Bremen stay ninth while Paderborn move off the bottom of the table to 17th.
Their win lifts Gladbach back to third in the table and into an automatic qualifying spot to the Champions League next season.
But it is Bayern who are the biggest winners of the day without having to kick a ball in anger.
“Retaining the title is a magnificent achievement. All credit to the coach and the team,” chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club homepage.
“They’ve been fantastic throughout, in a season following a World Cup where we had a host of players in action.”
It is the first time since 1989 that Bayern were confirmed as champions when not playing.
“Everyone should enjoy this - until tonight, then we must prepare for Dortmund (in the German Cup on Tuesday),” sport director Matthias Sammer told Sky television. “Everyone has contributed, the players, the coach, the officials and the workers at the club.”
The title was finally settled for Bayern in the dying seconds at Borussia Park when Wolfsburg failed to clear the ball in their box and Kruse pounced from close range.
Previously Kruse, Patrick Herrmann and Oscar Wendt had missed a series of opportunities for the hosts who dominated almost from start to finish.
“Congratulations to Bayern, they are deserving champions,” Gladbach coach Lucien Favre said. “But we also deserved to win today, we were the better team than Wolfsburg.”
The visitors from Wolfsburg scarcely created a chance in the game other than when Niklas Bendtner hooked an awkward effort over in the first half.
At the other end of the table, Paderborn appeared to be heading out of the relegation zone as Mario Vrancic opened the scoring against Werder Bremen in the 26th minute and 60 seconds later Moritz Stoppelkamp doubled the lead.
But Werder Bremen hit back with Davie Selke’s header before the break substitute Izet Hajrovic equalized just two minutes after coming on in the 74th minute to rescue a point.
Paderborn then had defender Michael Heinloth sent off for a second yellow card but held on for a draw. They move off the bottom of the table but stay in the relegation zone, below SV Hamburg in the play-off place on goal difference.
“That game only deserved one winner and it was Paderborn,” coach Andre Breitenreiter said. “We missed the chances to settle the match.
“We had so many free headers, one had to go in.”
Bremen missed the chance leapfrog Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim in the race for a Europa League place. They trail Augsburg in sixth by three points.
“We were lucky to get a point,” Werder coach Viktor Skripnik said.
“It was a weak game from us.”
