Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

The German FA said on Wednesday footballers including Jadon Sancho who paid tributes to Floyd during last week's games would not be punished, with calls since growing from several Bayern players for further action.

"Sport always was and is able to share the power, to try to show to the world we are a community and that we are strong together," said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller, ahead of Saturday's game with Bayer Leverkusen.

"We have so many different people in the sport, it doesn't matter the colour. Sports have the power to bring people together to speak with one tongue."&nbsp;

Joshua Kimmich revealed Bayern players have talked about using their platform to reinforce their stance against racism, while World Cup winner Jerome Boateng urged more famous white sportspeople to add their voices to the chorus of outrage over Floyd's death.&nbsp;

Floyd, a black American man, died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. His death has sparked several days of protests in US cities, some of which have turned violent amid accusations of further police brutality used against demonstrators.

<h2>- 'We can do much more' -</h2>

"Our voices carry, we have a platform and we touch many people," Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, told Deutsche Welle radio.

"All white sportspeople who don't speak out are obviously not racists, but of course it is desirable that they also use their notoriety for this cause. Many do it, but I think we can do much more."

With five games remaining Bayern hold a seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, whose players took a knee during Thursday's training session in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said he "stood 100 percent behind" Sancho's call for justice although a number of players including the England winger courted controversy after they were pictured without masks alongside a hairdresser.

At the other end of the table, Werder Bremen have slipped back deep into relegation trouble after a 3-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday greatly complicated the task of maintaining their top-flight status.

The loss was all the more disappointing for the four-time champions after a 1-0 win at Freiburg on May 23 had given them hope. Werder are now three points from safety and need a positive result at home against Wolfsburg on Sunday.

"That was a setback but definitely not a knockout," Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt said after the Eintracht defeat. "It has become harder but it's not impossible. We all knew that it would be hard, but we're going to give it a go."

<h2>One to watch:&nbsp;Marcus Thuram</h2>

The Borussia Moenchengladbach striker has scored four times in as many games since the Bundesliga resumed last month to reach double digits in his debut season in Germany.

Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner and anti-racism activist Lilian, made a statement of his own in last Sunday's 4-1 win over Union Berlin, kneeling and bowing his head after scoring the first of his two goals, in a gesture reminiscent of past protests by NFL players in the US against racism and police brutality.

Gladbach return to action on Friday at Freiburg as they jostle with RB Leipzig and Leverkusen for Champions League qualification.

<h2>Key stats</h2>

86 - Bayern's league goals this season. No team has ever scored as many times through 29 games of a Bundesliga campaign.

17 - seconds Stefan Ilsanker was on the field before scoring against Werder Bremen. The Austria international struck twice in Wednesday's 3-0 victory after coming on as a late substitute.

308 - Bundesliga appearances made by Japan's Makoto Hasebe, an Asian record he shares with South Korean great Cha Bum-kun.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Freiburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)

Saturday

RB Leipzig v Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Fortuna Dusseldorf v Hoffenheim (all 1330), Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin (1630)

Sunday

Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg (1130), Union Berlin v Schalke (1330), Augsburg v Cologne (1600)

Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

Bayern Munich face one of the final obstacles in their hunt for an eighth consecutive Bundesliga title this weekend as players in Germany contemplate staging collective protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States. The German FA said on Wednesday footballers including Jadon Sancho who paid tributes to Floyd during last week's games would not be punished, with calls since growing from several Bayern players for further action. "Sport always was and is able to share the power, to try to show to the world we are a community and that we are strong together," said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller, ahead of Saturday's game with Bayer Leverkusen. "We have so many different people in the sport, it doesn't matter the colour. Sports have the power to bring people together to speak with one tongue." Joshua Kimmich revealed Bayern players have talked about using their platform to reinforce their stance against racism, while World Cup winner Jerome Boateng urged more famous white sportspeople to add their voices to the chorus of outrage over Floyd's death. Floyd, a black American man, died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. His death has sparked several days of protests in US cities, some of which have turned violent amid accusations of further police brutality used against demonstrators. - 'We can do much more' - "Our voices carry, we have a platform and we touch many people," Boateng, whose father is from Ghana, told Deutsche Welle radio. "All white sportspeople who don't speak out are obviously not racists, but of course it is desirable that they also use their notoriety for this cause. Many do it, but I think we can do much more." With five games remaining Bayern hold a seven-point lead over Borussia Dortmund, whose players took a knee during Thursday's training session in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Dortmund coach Lucien Favre said he "stood 100 percent behind" Sancho's call for justice although a number of players including the England winger courted controversy after they were pictured without masks alongside a hairdresser. At the other end of the table, Werder Bremen have slipped back deep into relegation trouble after a 3-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday greatly complicated the task of maintaining their top-flight status. The loss was all the more disappointing for the four-time champions after a 1-0 win at Freiburg on May 23 had given them hope. Werder are now three points from safety and need a positive result at home against Wolfsburg on Sunday. "That was a setback but definitely not a knockout," Werder coach Florian Kohfeldt said after the Eintracht defeat. "It has become harder but it's not impossible. We all knew that it would be hard, but we're going to give it a go." One to watch: Marcus Thuram The Borussia Moenchengladbach striker has scored four times in as many games since the Bundesliga resumed last month to reach double digits in his debut season in Germany. Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner and anti-racism activist Lilian, made a statement of his own in last Sunday's 4-1 win over Union Berlin, kneeling and bowing his head after scoring the first of his two goals, in a gesture reminiscent of past protests by NFL players in the US against racism and police brutality. Gladbach return to action on Friday at Freiburg as they jostle with RB Leipzig and Leverkusen for Champions League qualification. Key stats 86 - Bayern's league goals this season. No team has ever scored as many times through 29 games of a Bundesliga campaign. 17 - seconds Stefan Ilsanker was on the field before scoring against Werder Bremen. The Austria international struck twice in Wednesday's 3-0 victory after coming on as a late substitute. 308 - Bundesliga appearances made by Japan's Makoto Hasebe, an Asian record he shares with South Korean great Cha Bum-kun. Fixtures (all times GMT) Friday Freiburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830) Saturday RB Leipzig v Paderborn, Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Fortuna Dusseldorf v Hoffenheim (all 1330), Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin (1630) Sunday Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg (1130), Union Berlin v Schalke (1330), Augsburg v Cologne (1600)

Growing calls for anti-racism protests as Bayern scent Bundesliga title

Bayern Munich opened a 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 5-0 drubbing of relegation-threatened Fortuna Dusseldorf behind closed doors with the league's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scoring twice.

Duesseldorf defender Mathias Joergensen scored an early own goal before Benjamin Pavard, Lewandowski (2) and Alphonso Davies hit the target.

With five games left, Bayern, who have won their last eight league games, are comfortably on course for an eighth straight league title.

However, second-placed Borussia Dortmund could trim their lead on Sunday at bottom side Paderborn.

Lewandowski, who had never previously scored in six games against Duesseldorf, made amends with goals either side of half-time.

Fortuna, who were unbeaten in their three games since the league resumed after a two-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus, were humbled at the Allianz Arena where they last poached a 3-3 draw in November 2018.

They fell behind on 15 minutes when Joergensen turned the ball into his own net after Pavard mishit his shot.

Right-back Pavard then grabbed the second with a powerful header on 29 minutes before Lewandowski made it 3-0 just before the break after being presented with a tap-in by Thomas Mueller.

Duesseldorf were floored with two goals in as many minutes as Lewandowski profited again with another poacher's goal after Serge Gnabry's good work.

Davies then scored the game's best goal.

After some high pressing, the Canadian teen won the ball in the Duesseldorf area, barged past a succession of defenders and fired home to make it 5-0 on 52 minutes.

<h2>- US death protest -</h2>

Werder Bremen boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Schalke, who are winless in 11 games and continue to plummet.

Midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt scored a first-half winner.

"This is a very, very important away win," said Bremen coach Florian Kohfeldt.

"We have taken seven points from the last three games, but if you look at the table, we are still behind."

Bremen have spent more seasons in the Bundesliga than any other club, but currently sit second from bottom.

However, Saturday's victory leaves them just three points from guaranteed safety with six games left.

They are two points behind Duesseldorf in 16th, which carries a relegation play-off at the end of the season.

Werder could climb out of the relegation places for the first time since December on Wednesday if they beat Eintracht Frankfurt at home.

Bittencourt hit a stunning strike from just outside the box which beat Schalke's Bayern-bound goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel on 32 minutes.

Schalke succumbed to their fourth straight defeat, piling pressure on head coach David Wagner.&nbsp;

In the same game, Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie wore a 'Justice for George' armband as part of the growing protests over the death of an unarmed black man during a police arrest in the United States.

"To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on too long feels good!!!," tweeted 21-year-old McKennie.

"We have to stand up for what we believe in and I believe that it is time that we are heard."

George Floyd died in Minneapolis in an arrest by a police officer who pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck.&nbsp;

<h2>- Hertha on the rise -</h2>

Hertha remain unbeaten with three wins and a draw since Bruno Labbadia took charge during the lockdown after their 2-0 win at home to Augsburg thanks for goals by Javairo Dilrosun and Krzysztof Piatek.

Having routed Leverkusen 4-1 away on Tuesday, Wolfsburg&nbsp;crashed to a 2-1 defeat at home to 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt.

Japan midfielder Daichi Kamada scored the winner 10 minutes from time while Frankfurt had replacement midfielder Lucas Torro sent off in the dying stages for a second yellow card.

Frankfurt took the lead when striker Andre Silva converted a penalty on 27 minutes, but Wolfsburg equalised when right-back Kevin Mbabu headed home on 58 minutes.

Hoffenheim are seventh after their 1-0 win at Mainz thanks to Ihlas Bebou who darted into the area, swept past two defenders, and fired home on 43 minutes.

On Friday, Leverkusen went third when Germany midfielder Kai Havertz became the first player in Bundesliga history to score 35 goals before his 21st birthday to seal a 1-0 win at Freiburg.

Bayern Munich opened a 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 5-0 drubbing of relegation-threatened Fortuna Dusseldorf behind closed doors with the league's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scoring twice.

Bayern Munich opened a 10-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 5-0 drubbing of relegation-threatened Fortuna Dusseldorf behind closed doors with the league's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scoring twice. Duesseldorf defender Mathias Joergensen scored an early own goal before Benjamin Pavard, Lewandowski (2) and Alphonso Davies hit the target. With five games left, Bayern, who have won their last eight league games, are comfortably on course for an eighth straight league title. However, second-placed Borussia Dortmund could trim their lead on Sunday at bottom side Paderborn. Lewandowski, who had never previously scored in six games against Duesseldorf, made amends with goals either side of half-time. Fortuna, who were unbeaten in their three games since the league resumed after a two-month coronavirus-enforced hiatus, were humbled at the Allianz Arena where they last poached a 3-3 draw in November 2018. They fell behind on 15 minutes when Joergensen turned the ball into his own net after Pavard mishit his shot. Right-back Pavard then grabbed the second with a powerful header on 29 minutes before Lewandowski made it 3-0 just before the break after being presented with a tap-in by Thomas Mueller. Duesseldorf were floored with two goals in as many minutes as Lewandowski profited again with another poacher's goal after Serge Gnabry's good work. Davies then scored the game's best goal. After some high pressing, the Canadian teen won the ball in the Duesseldorf area, barged past a succession of defenders and fired home to make it 5-0 on 52 minutes. - US death protest - Werder Bremen boosted their survival hopes with a 1-0 win at Schalke, who are winless in 11 games and continue to plummet. Midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt scored a first-half winner. "This is a very, very important away win," said Bremen coach Florian Kohfeldt. "We have taken seven points from the last three games, but if you look at the table, we are still behind." Bremen have spent more seasons in the Bundesliga than any other club, but currently sit second from bottom. However, Saturday's victory leaves them just three points from guaranteed safety with six games left. They are two points behind Duesseldorf in 16th, which carries a relegation play-off at the end of the season. Werder could climb out of the relegation places for the first time since December on Wednesday if they beat Eintracht Frankfurt at home. Bittencourt hit a stunning strike from just outside the box which beat Schalke's Bayern-bound goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel on 32 minutes. Schalke succumbed to their fourth straight defeat, piling pressure on head coach David Wagner. In the same game, Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie wore a 'Justice for George' armband as part of the growing protests over the death of an unarmed black man during a police arrest in the United States. "To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on too long feels good!!!," tweeted 21-year-old McKennie. "We have to stand up for what we believe in and I believe that it is time that we are heard." George Floyd died in Minneapolis in an arrest by a police officer who pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck. - Hertha on the rise - Hertha remain unbeaten with three wins and a draw since Bruno Labbadia took charge during the lockdown after their 2-0 win at home to Augsburg thanks for goals by Javairo Dilrosun and Krzysztof Piatek. Having routed Leverkusen 4-1 away on Tuesday, Wolfsburg crashed to a 2-1 defeat at home to 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt. Japan midfielder Daichi Kamada scored the winner 10 minutes from time while Frankfurt had replacement midfielder Lucas Torro sent off in the dying stages for a second yellow card. Frankfurt took the lead when striker Andre Silva converted a penalty on 27 minutes, but Wolfsburg equalised when right-back Kevin Mbabu headed home on 58 minutes. Hoffenheim are seventh after their 1-0 win at Mainz thanks to Ihlas Bebou who darted into the area, swept past two defenders, and fired home on 43 minutes. On Friday, Leverkusen went third when Germany midfielder Kai Havertz became the first player in Bundesliga history to score 35 goals before his 21st birthday to seal a 1-0 win at Freiburg.

Lewandowski hits brace as Bayern Munich go 10 points clear

There might be no fans in the stadiums but the Bundesliga knows the world is watching and on Tuesday Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller was part of its charm offensive.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic the German top-flight is the only top-level game on the planet and football fans everywhere are watching.&nbsp;

After scoring the only goal as Bayern won a crunch match in Dortmund, Joshua Kimmich displaced Donald Trump as the top-trending subject on Twitter in the US.

Cue Bayern veteran Mueller smiling and joking as he reached out to international viewers with a post-match interview in almost faultless English.

Mueller is known in his own country as a an interviewee with a sense of humour.&nbsp;

After the victory, he beamed as he faced a microphone and happily showed off his German sense of humour as he talked about the length of Roman Buerki's arms and compared teenage team-mate Alphonso Davies to the Roadrunner, complete with sound effects.

Mueller described Kimmich's game-winning lob over home keeper Buerki as "having a long hang time" while miming watching the ball pass over his head.

"I had a good feeling," he said.&nbsp;

"Roman Buerki is a great keeper but one of his strengths is that he is maybe one of two steps outside his goal because maybe he has not got the longest arms so with these one of two steps he tries to have a better angle and Joshua saw that."

The interviewer quickly asked about the impressive and pacy Canada wing-back Davies, who tracked back to tackle a counter-attacking Erling Braut Haaland in the first half.

"A player with a lot of heart and with extreme power," said Mueller, a 30-year-old Germany international. "Although sometimes he has not the best position."&nbsp;

"When the opponent thinks 'Oh, I have time,' 'meep, meep, meep' the Roadrunner comes and steals the ball."

Mueller was pleased with his team's display in a game in which both teams showed occasional signs of rust.

"We did a great performance. With the ball perhaps not our best, but with our heart and that's the most important thing," said Mueller, tapping his chest.

"This game is maybe the decider and we won it. It's a great feeling"

"It looks better than before."

There might be no fans in the stadiums but the Bundesliga knows the world is watching and on Tuesday Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller was part of its charm offensive.

There might be no fans in the stadiums but the Bundesliga knows the world is watching and on Tuesday Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller was part of its charm offensive. Because of the coronavirus pandemic the German top-flight is the only top-level game on the planet and football fans everywhere are watching. After scoring the only goal as Bayern won a crunch match in Dortmund, Joshua Kimmich displaced Donald Trump as the top-trending subject on Twitter in the US. Cue Bayern veteran Mueller smiling and joking as he reached out to international viewers with a post-match interview in almost faultless English. Mueller is known in his own country as a an interviewee with a sense of humour. After the victory, he beamed as he faced a microphone and happily showed off his German sense of humour as he talked about the length of Roman Buerki's arms and compared teenage team-mate Alphonso Davies to the Roadrunner, complete with sound effects. Mueller described Kimmich's game-winning lob over home keeper Buerki as "having a long hang time" while miming watching the ball pass over his head. "I had a good feeling," he said. "Roman Buerki is a great keeper but one of his strengths is that he is maybe one of two steps outside his goal because maybe he has not got the longest arms so with these one of two steps he tries to have a better angle and Joshua saw that." The interviewer quickly asked about the impressive and pacy Canada wing-back Davies, who tracked back to tackle a counter-attacking Erling Braut Haaland in the first half. "A player with a lot of heart and with extreme power," said Mueller, a 30-year-old Germany international. "Although sometimes he has not the best position." "When the opponent thinks 'Oh, I have time,' 'meep, meep, meep' the Roadrunner comes and steals the ball." Mueller was pleased with his team's display in a game in which both teams showed occasional signs of rust. "We did a great performance. With the ball perhaps not our best, but with our heart and that's the most important thing," said Mueller, tapping his chest. "This game is maybe the decider and we won it. It's a great feeling" "It looks better than before."

Bayern's Mueller turns on charm in English as Bundesliga woos world

Joshua Kimmich described his winning goal as "brutally important" after Bayern Munich took a huge step towards an eighth straight Bundesliga title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund to leave them seven points clear at the top with just six games left.

Kimmich's brilliant effort came just before half-time behind closed doors at Signal Iduna Park as hosts Dortmund missed the chance to turn up the heat on the Bavarians without the backing of their huge support.

"It was brutally important: I looked around to see if everyone understood how important it was," Kimmich said of his deft chip.

Kimmich's captain Manuel Neuer echoed the defensive midfielder's thoughts.

"That was a very important sign," said Neuer.

Bayern won 4-0 when the teams met in Munich in November and they kept up their excellent recent record against second-placed Dortmund.

"Now only Bayern can decide what happens," said frustrated Dortmund captain Mats Hummels.

"Sometimes, games are decided by brilliant moments and that was the case today."

Dortmund's star teenage striker, Erling Braut Haaland, who had scored ten goals in as many league games, failed to make an impact against Bayern's watertight defence before going off injured in the second half.

Jerome Boateng and David Alaba gave him no room, while Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in midfield made sure passes intended for him rarely met their mark. The Norway forward limped off with 20 minutes left after a heavy tackle from Boateng.

<h2>- Cleared chances -</h2>

Things might have been different, with Haaland coming close inside the first minute with an attempt that went through the legs of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer but was kicked off the line by Boateng.

At the other end, Lukasz Piszczek cleared a Serge Gnabry shot inches from the line, while moments later Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki denied Kingsley Coman.

Bayern were in control, and Kimmich grabbed what proved to be the winner two minutes before half-time when he chipped Buerki from 20 yards.

It was the Germany international's third league goal from outside the box this season.

In an attempt to turn the game around, Dortmund coach Lucien Favre brought on midfield enforcer Emre Can at the start of the second half and added the pace of Jadon Sancho on the wing.

The home side had a shout for a penalty just before the hour mark when a Haaland shot was deflected wide by the arm of Boateng, but nothing was given.

Shortly after, Haaland limped off to be replaced by 17-year-old Giovanni Reyna.

In the dying stages, Favre brought on 2014 World Cup winner Mario Goetze, who is out of contract next month and set to leave, in the vain hope of grabbing an equaliser.

With time running out, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski hit the post.

The league's top scorer then had a strong appeal for a late penalty waved away after a push in the area by Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji.

But the roars of celebration at the end came from the Bayern bench and echoed around the near-empty stadium.

<h2>- Leverkusen crash -</h2>

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen dropped to fifth after being routed 4-1 at home by Wolfsburg, whose defender Marin Pongracic claimed two goals.

It was a shock defeat at home for Peter Bosz-coached Leverkusen who had won their previous 12 games.&nbsp;

Borussia Moenchengladbach climbed over Leverkusen into fourth with a goalless draw at second-from-bottom Werder Bremen, who are two points from safety.

Eintracht Frankfurt took a point at home in a 3-3 draw with Freiburg thanks to late goals by Timothy Chandler and Japan striker Daichi Kamada.

Third-placed RB Leipzig can draw level on points with Dortmund if they win on Wednesday at home to Hertha Berlin, who have won both games so far under new head coach Bruno Labbadia.

Leipzig will be without Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen, who is set to miss the rest of the season with injury.

Joshua Kimmich described his winning goal as "brutally important" after Bayern Munich took a huge step towards an eighth straight Bundesliga title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund to leave them seven points clear at the top with just six games left.

Joshua Kimmich described his winning goal as "brutally important" after Bayern Munich took a huge step towards an eighth straight Bundesliga title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund to leave them seven points clear at the top with just six games left. Kimmich's brilliant effort came just before half-time behind closed doors at Signal Iduna Park as hosts Dortmund missed the chance to turn up the heat on the Bavarians without the backing of their huge support. "It was brutally important: I looked around to see if everyone understood how important it was," Kimmich said of his deft chip. Kimmich's captain Manuel Neuer echoed the defensive midfielder's thoughts. "That was a very important sign," said Neuer. Bayern won 4-0 when the teams met in Munich in November and they kept up their excellent recent record against second-placed Dortmund. "Now only Bayern can decide what happens," said frustrated Dortmund captain Mats Hummels. "Sometimes, games are decided by brilliant moments and that was the case today." Dortmund's star teenage striker, Erling Braut Haaland, who had scored ten goals in as many league games, failed to make an impact against Bayern's watertight defence before going off injured in the second half. Jerome Boateng and David Alaba gave him no room, while Kimmich and Leon Goretzka in midfield made sure passes intended for him rarely met their mark. The Norway forward limped off with 20 minutes left after a heavy tackle from Boateng. - Cleared chances - Things might have been different, with Haaland coming close inside the first minute with an attempt that went through the legs of Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer but was kicked off the line by Boateng. At the other end, Lukasz Piszczek cleared a Serge Gnabry shot inches from the line, while moments later Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki denied Kingsley Coman. Bayern were in control, and Kimmich grabbed what proved to be the winner two minutes before half-time when he chipped Buerki from 20 yards. It was the Germany international's third league goal from outside the box this season. In an attempt to turn the game around, Dortmund coach Lucien Favre brought on midfield enforcer Emre Can at the start of the second half and added the pace of Jadon Sancho on the wing. The home side had a shout for a penalty just before the hour mark when a Haaland shot was deflected wide by the arm of Boateng, but nothing was given. Shortly after, Haaland limped off to be replaced by 17-year-old Giovanni Reyna. In the dying stages, Favre brought on 2014 World Cup winner Mario Goetze, who is out of contract next month and set to leave, in the vain hope of grabbing an equaliser. With time running out, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski hit the post. The league's top scorer then had a strong appeal for a late penalty waved away after a push in the area by Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji. But the roars of celebration at the end came from the Bayern bench and echoed around the near-empty stadium. - Leverkusen crash - Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen dropped to fifth after being routed 4-1 at home by Wolfsburg, whose defender Marin Pongracic claimed two goals. It was a shock defeat at home for Peter Bosz-coached Leverkusen who had won their previous 12 games. Borussia Moenchengladbach climbed over Leverkusen into fourth with a goalless draw at second-from-bottom Werder Bremen, who are two points from safety. Eintracht Frankfurt took a point at home in a 3-3 draw with Freiburg thanks to late goals by Timothy Chandler and Japan striker Daichi Kamada. Third-placed RB Leipzig can draw level on points with Dortmund if they win on Wednesday at home to Hertha Berlin, who have won both games so far under new head coach Bruno Labbadia. Leipzig will be without Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen, who is set to miss the rest of the season with injury.

Bayern Munich down Dortmund to close on Bundesliga title

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan will stage a new competition called the 'European Solidarity Cup' in 2021 to raise money for medical facilities in Italy and Spain.&nbsp;

The three clubs will play each other in a round-robin group, with Inter against Bayern held in Milan, Real facing Inter in Madrid and Bayern hosting Real in Munich.&nbsp;

Proceeds from the fixtures will be donated to medical facilities in Italy and Spain, two of the world's worst-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

The aim is "to send out a message of solidarity and fraternity to the people of Europe", said a statement from Real Madrid.&nbsp;

Dates for the tournament have not been decided. The timing will "depend on the match calendar and when football can be played in front of fans again", the clubs said.&nbsp;

Bayern will invite 5,000 nurses, carers and doctors to the Allianz Arena for their match against Real Madrid.&nbsp;

"Nurses, carers and doctors in particular are doing an outstanding job for society at the moment," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We, the three clubs, want to show these heroes our appreciation, respect and gratitude."&nbsp;

"The great commitment of all healthcare workers has been essential to allow us to look to the future," said Inter president Steven Zhang.&nbsp;

"With this initiative we want to thank them and celebrate their work and at the same time send a message of unity and solidarity between nations."&nbsp;

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan will stage a new competition called the 'European Solidarity Cup' in 2021 to raise money for medical facilities in Italy and Spain.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan will stage a new competition called the 'European Solidarity Cup' in 2021 to raise money for medical facilities in Italy and Spain. The three clubs will play each other in a round-robin group, with Inter against Bayern held in Milan, Real facing Inter in Madrid and Bayern hosting Real in Munich. Proceeds from the fixtures will be donated to medical facilities in Italy and Spain, two of the world's worst-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic. The aim is "to send out a message of solidarity and fraternity to the people of Europe", said a statement from Real Madrid. Dates for the tournament have not been decided. The timing will "depend on the match calendar and when football can be played in front of fans again", the clubs said. Bayern will invite 5,000 nurses, carers and doctors to the Allianz Arena for their match against Real Madrid. "Nurses, carers and doctors in particular are doing an outstanding job for society at the moment," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We, the three clubs, want to show these heroes our appreciation, respect and gratitude." "The great commitment of all healthcare workers has been essential to allow us to look to the future," said Inter president Steven Zhang. "With this initiative we want to thank them and celebrate their work and at the same time send a message of unity and solidarity between nations."

Real Madrid, Bayern and Inter Milan to launch European Solidarity Cup

Thomas Mueller joked that the Bundesliga without fans feels like "old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights" after Bayern Munich brushed aside Union Berlin 2-0 behind closed doors on Sunday.

A first-half Robert Lewandowski penalty and a late Benjamin Pavard header sealed Bayern's win in front of empty terraces in Berlin.

The result leaves defending champions Bayern four points clear as the German league restarted this weekend after a two-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 virus.

However, Mueller admitted it was strange to play Union behind closed doors at their compact Alten Foersterei stadium, which is usually packed with 22,000 passionate home fans.

"It felt a bit like the atmosphere you get for old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights, but as soon as the ball started to roll, the game took our focus," said Mueller.

The Bundesliga became the first top European league to resume this weekend, using draconian hygiene guidelines, regular testing of players and insisting on games in near-empty stadiums.

Hugging, embracing and handshakes were also banned.&nbsp;

"There were a few butterflies before the restart, wondering how it would go, like before the first game of the season in August," said Mueller.

"I wasn't worried about anything going wrong, everything was explained clearly to us.

"Union Berlin, just like us, were well prepared, no handshakes before kick-off etc."

Mueller said the defending champions were just happy to win their first game after the restart to keep them on course for an eighth consecutive league title.

"We came here with the goal of getting the three points," added Mueller.

"We had a bit more security after the second goal."

Thomas Mueller joked that the Bundesliga without fans feels like "old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights" after Bayern Munich brushed aside Union Berlin 2-0 behind closed doors on Sunday.

Thomas Mueller joked that the Bundesliga without fans feels like "old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights" after Bayern Munich brushed aside Union Berlin 2-0 behind closed doors on Sunday. A first-half Robert Lewandowski penalty and a late Benjamin Pavard header sealed Bayern's win in front of empty terraces in Berlin. The result leaves defending champions Bayern four points clear as the German league restarted this weekend after a two-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 virus. However, Mueller admitted it was strange to play Union behind closed doors at their compact Alten Foersterei stadium, which is usually packed with 22,000 passionate home fans. "It felt a bit like the atmosphere you get for old man's football, 7pm, under floodlights, but as soon as the ball started to roll, the game took our focus," said Mueller. The Bundesliga became the first top European league to resume this weekend, using draconian hygiene guidelines, regular testing of players and insisting on games in near-empty stadiums. Hugging, embracing and handshakes were also banned. "There were a few butterflies before the restart, wondering how it would go, like before the first game of the season in August," said Mueller. "I wasn't worried about anything going wrong, everything was explained clearly to us. "Union Berlin, just like us, were well prepared, no handshakes before kick-off etc." Mueller said the defending champions were just happy to win their first game after the restart to keep them on course for an eighth consecutive league title. "We came here with the goal of getting the three points," added Mueller. "We had a bit more security after the second goal."

German league without fans like "old man's football", says Mueller

Bayern Munich restart their charge for an eighth straight Bundesliga title at Union Berlin on Sunday amid doubts the Bavarian giants will be able to last the distance after a two-month hiatus.

Hansi Flick's side hold a one-point lead at the top of the league heading into their trip to the German capital, which has been the scene of some impressive upsets thanks to promoted Union's form at their Alten Foersterei stadium.

Union have twice shocked the league leaders this season, beating Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in August and turning out 2-0 victors over Borussia Moenchengladbach three months later.

Now it's Bayern's turn.

Flick is unsure of his team's ability to play out a full match of professional football after having only received the go-ahead to resume full team training last week.

"We don't know if the team can hold out over 90 minutes," said Flick. "We have trained well and played three matches of 20 minutes each last Sunday.

"They were played at a very high intensity, but we don't know clearly where we stand.

"We have to just deal with the situation."

The Bundesliga is the first major league in Europe to return to action since the coronavirus brought football to a halt two months ago and has only come back with a host of strict health regulations, chief among them empty stands in what are usually passion-filled stadiums.

That means Union won't be able to count on their ferocious home support at their ground on the eastern outskirts of the German capital.

They will also be without their coach Urs Fischer after breaking the team quarantine following the death of his father-in-law.

"It's not possible to surprise Bayern with the experience their players have," said assistant coach Markus Hoffmann, who will take charge of Union for the Bayern match.

"They've already experienced everything.

"We have to concentrate on ourselves and try to implement what we can to influence the game in the best possible way."

<h2>- 'Very, very strange' -</h2>

Bayern's lead was cut to a single point by Borussia Dortmund, who on Saturday showed no ring rustiness in a 4-0 demolition of Ruhr rivals Schalke.

Young gun Erling Braut Haaland was again the headline act, scoring the first Bundesliga goal after the restart and setting up Raphael Guerreiro for the first of his brace.

In one of a series of odd scenes that peppered the first day back, Dortmund's players jogged over to applaud an empty 'Sudtribune', which would for a normal derby would be jammed with 25,000 delirous fans hailing a huge victory that keeps pressure on their title rivals.

"There was no noise. You shoot at the goal, make a top pass, score a goal, and nothing happens," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre.

"That's very, very strange. We really missed our fans."

As well as the echoing arenas, a host of other rules have been put in place to try to stop the spread of the virus, from frequent testing to masks for players on the subs bench and a week-long quarantine for teams ahead of the restart.

However, advice to socially distance didn't stop Hertha Berlin players from celebrating their goals in a 3-0 win at Hoffenheim by hugging each other.

"The fact is that this is part of football," said Hertha coach Bruno Labbadia. "We've been tested so many times that we can allow it.

"If you can't celebrate anymore, the whole thing breaks down."

A German Football League (DFL) spokesman&nbsp;confirmed there will be no punishment, as it had only offered "guidelines" on how goals should be celebrated.

The DFL has also made no secret of the fact that several clubs are in a dire financial situation as a result of the lockdown.

If they are able to complete the nine remaining rounds of matches by June 30, clubs could receive around 300 million euros ($324 million) from television contracts.

Clubs in England, Spain and Italy, where leagues are weeks away from returning, will be watching to see how the rest of weekend goes.

Bayern Munich restart their charge for an eighth straight Bundesliga title at Union Berlin on Sunday amid doubts the Bavarian giants will be able to last the distance after a two-month hiatus.

Bayern Munich restart their charge for an eighth straight Bundesliga title at Union Berlin on Sunday amid doubts the Bavarian giants will be able to last the distance after a two-month hiatus. Hansi Flick's side hold a one-point lead at the top of the league heading into their trip to the German capital, which has been the scene of some impressive upsets thanks to promoted Union's form at their Alten Foersterei stadium. Union have twice shocked the league leaders this season, beating Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in August and turning out 2-0 victors over Borussia Moenchengladbach three months later. Now it's Bayern's turn. Flick is unsure of his team's ability to play out a full match of professional football after having only received the go-ahead to resume full team training last week. "We don't know if the team can hold out over 90 minutes," said Flick. "We have trained well and played three matches of 20 minutes each last Sunday. "They were played at a very high intensity, but we don't know clearly where we stand. "We have to just deal with the situation." The Bundesliga is the first major league in Europe to return to action since the coronavirus brought football to a halt two months ago and has only come back with a host of strict health regulations, chief among them empty stands in what are usually passion-filled stadiums. That means Union won't be able to count on their ferocious home support at their ground on the eastern outskirts of the German capital. They will also be without their coach Urs Fischer after breaking the team quarantine following the death of his father-in-law. "It's not possible to surprise Bayern with the experience their players have," said assistant coach Markus Hoffmann, who will take charge of Union for the Bayern match. "They've already experienced everything. "We have to concentrate on ourselves and try to implement what we can to influence the game in the best possible way." - 'Very, very strange' - Bayern's lead was cut to a single point by Borussia Dortmund, who on Saturday showed no ring rustiness in a 4-0 demolition of Ruhr rivals Schalke. Young gun Erling Braut Haaland was again the headline act, scoring the first Bundesliga goal after the restart and setting up Raphael Guerreiro for the first of his brace. In one of a series of odd scenes that peppered the first day back, Dortmund's players jogged over to applaud an empty 'Sudtribune', which would for a normal derby would be jammed with 25,000 delirous fans hailing a huge victory that keeps pressure on their title rivals. "There was no noise. You shoot at the goal, make a top pass, score a goal, and nothing happens," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. "That's very, very strange. We really missed our fans." As well as the echoing arenas, a host of other rules have been put in place to try to stop the spread of the virus, from frequent testing to masks for players on the subs bench and a week-long quarantine for teams ahead of the restart. However, advice to socially distance didn't stop Hertha Berlin players from celebrating their goals in a 3-0 win at Hoffenheim by hugging each other. "The fact is that this is part of football," said Hertha coach Bruno Labbadia. "We've been tested so many times that we can allow it. "If you can't celebrate anymore, the whole thing breaks down." A German Football League (DFL) spokesman confirmed there will be no punishment, as it had only offered "guidelines" on how goals should be celebrated. The DFL has also made no secret of the fact that several clubs are in a dire financial situation as a result of the lockdown. If they are able to complete the nine remaining rounds of matches by June 30, clubs could receive around 300 million euros ($324 million) from television contracts. Clubs in England, Spain and Italy, where leagues are weeks away from returning, will be watching to see how the rest of weekend goes.

Bayern aim to shake off cobwebs with quiet confidence in Berlin

Bayern Munich are in pole position to win an eighth straight title, but Borussia Dortmund lead the chasing pack and are spearheaded by Erling Braut Haaland as the Bundesliga comes out of its coronavirus-enforced hibernation this weekend.

AFP Sport takes a look at what is at stake on the field when the German top flight ends a two-month shutdown to play out its final nine matchdays.

<h2>- Some things stay the same... -</h2>

Teams have undergone testing and been forced into quarantine training camps because of the virus, and all matches will be played behind closed doors in the league with the highest attendances in world football.

So this will not be the Bundesliga as we know it, but something else may be just as before -- Bayern, the country's most successful club, are on track to win another title, which would be their eighth in a row.

They had put a patchy start to the season under Niko Kovac behind them before the shutdown, with Hansi Flick coming in as coach and Bayern winning 10 and drawing one of their last 11 league games.

The Bavarians are four points clear of Dortmund at the top and have been busy since their last game, with Flick signing a new contract until 2023.

Key players Thomas Mueller and Alphonso Davies followed suit by penning extensions of their own, while former striker Miroslav Klose has joined as assistant coach.

With Robert Lewandowski scoring 25 goals in 23 games, Bayern are formidable. They still have to visit Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, although it remains to be seen how much home advantage will matter without fans.

<h2>- Watch out for Haaland -</h2>

It could still just about be a four-horse title race, with Borussia Moenchengladbach six points off the pace in fourth, but Dortmund are best-placed to stop Bayern.

Lucien Favre's side were last seen going out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain, but before that were in thrilling form led by young stars Haaland and Jadon Sancho.

They won seven out of eight league games after 19-year-old Norwegian powerhouse Haaland arrived from Red Bull Salzburg. He scored nine goals in that run.

Dortmund, though, will not be able to rely on their fans who usually pack the 81,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park and their next two home games -- against Ruhr rivals Schalke on Saturday and then Bayern -- will lose much of their edge as a result.

"Having to play behind closed doors is an enormous challenge, especially for a club like BVB, which draws a lot of strength from the passion of its supporters," admitted Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Dortmund also must still visit Leipzig, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals before the suspension but whose patchy league form after the winter break saw them fall off the pace.

In Timo Werner, they have their own fearsome striker. And in Julian Nagelsmann, 32, they have one of Europe's most exciting young coaches, so anything is possible.

Gladbach were the last team to beat Bayern in the league but would now settle for holding off fifth-placed Leverkusen to secure Champions League qualification.

There are two points between those sides, who are due to meet next weekend.

Beneath them, in the fight for one Europa League spot, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Freiburg and Hoffenheim are all within two points.

<h2>- Bremen in danger -</h2>

At the bottom Paderborn prop up the division but the plight of Werder Bremen is more striking.

The four-time champions are four points adrift of Fortuna Dusseldorf in the relegation play-off place and eight points from outright safety.

They have a game in hand, but are in danger of following the path of Hamburg and Stuttgart, two giants to have been relegated in recent seasons.

"We all know how precarious our league position is. That's motivation enough," said sporting director Frank Baumann when asked about playing home games without fans.

Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin seem far enough clear of relegation trouble but it has been a chaotic campaign in the capital.

Bruno Labbadia has become the club's fourth coach this season since the shutdown began, with Jurgen Klinsmann's short-lived time in charge ending.

Bayern Munich are in pole position to win an eighth straight title, but Borussia Dortmund lead the chasing pack and are spearheaded by Erling Braut Haaland as the Bundesliga comes out of its coronavirus-enforced hibernation this weekend.

Bayern Munich are in pole position to win an eighth straight title, but Borussia Dortmund lead the chasing pack and are spearheaded by Erling Braut Haaland as the Bundesliga comes out of its coronavirus-enforced hibernation this weekend. AFP Sport takes a look at what is at stake on the field when the German top flight ends a two-month shutdown to play out its final nine matchdays. - Some things stay the same... - Teams have undergone testing and been forced into quarantine training camps because of the virus, and all matches will be played behind closed doors in the league with the highest attendances in world football. So this will not be the Bundesliga as we know it, but something else may be just as before -- Bayern, the country's most successful club, are on track to win another title, which would be their eighth in a row. They had put a patchy start to the season under Niko Kovac behind them before the shutdown, with Hansi Flick coming in as coach and Bayern winning 10 and drawing one of their last 11 league games. The Bavarians are four points clear of Dortmund at the top and have been busy since their last game, with Flick signing a new contract until 2023. Key players Thomas Mueller and Alphonso Davies followed suit by penning extensions of their own, while former striker Miroslav Klose has joined as assistant coach. With Robert Lewandowski scoring 25 goals in 23 games, Bayern are formidable. They still have to visit Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, although it remains to be seen how much home advantage will matter without fans. - Watch out for Haaland - It could still just about be a four-horse title race, with Borussia Moenchengladbach six points off the pace in fourth, but Dortmund are best-placed to stop Bayern. Lucien Favre's side were last seen going out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain, but before that were in thrilling form led by young stars Haaland and Jadon Sancho. They won seven out of eight league games after 19-year-old Norwegian powerhouse Haaland arrived from Red Bull Salzburg. He scored nine goals in that run. Dortmund, though, will not be able to rely on their fans who usually pack the 81,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park and their next two home games -- against Ruhr rivals Schalke on Saturday and then Bayern -- will lose much of their edge as a result. "Having to play behind closed doors is an enormous challenge, especially for a club like BVB, which draws a lot of strength from the passion of its supporters," admitted Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke. Dortmund also must still visit Leipzig, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals before the suspension but whose patchy league form after the winter break saw them fall off the pace. In Timo Werner, they have their own fearsome striker. And in Julian Nagelsmann, 32, they have one of Europe's most exciting young coaches, so anything is possible. Gladbach were the last team to beat Bayern in the league but would now settle for holding off fifth-placed Leverkusen to secure Champions League qualification. There are two points between those sides, who are due to meet next weekend. Beneath them, in the fight for one Europa League spot, Schalke, Wolfsburg, Freiburg and Hoffenheim are all within two points. - Bremen in danger - At the bottom Paderborn prop up the division but the plight of Werder Bremen is more striking. The four-time champions are four points adrift of Fortuna Dusseldorf in the relegation play-off place and eight points from outright safety. They have a game in hand, but are in danger of following the path of Hamburg and Stuttgart, two giants to have been relegated in recent seasons. "We all know how precarious our league position is. That's motivation enough," said sporting director Frank Baumann when asked about playing home games without fans. Elsewhere, Hertha Berlin seem far enough clear of relegation trouble but it has been a chaotic campaign in the capital. Bruno Labbadia has become the club's fourth coach this season since the shutdown began, with Jurgen Klinsmann's short-lived time in charge ending.

The Bundesliga is back, so can Dortmund catch Bayern?

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors.

The German top flight resumes on Saturday after the season was suspended in mid-March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

It will be the first major European league to resume after the outbreak of the pandemic, which has so far claimed around 7,500 lives in Germany.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been putting his players through their paces in training sessions at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern, who were four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund in their bid for an eighth straight Bundesliga title when football was halted, restart their season at Union Berlin on Sunday.

"It was really very, very nice to be back on the pitch, training as a whole team," said Alaba.

"You could tell how much we have all looked forward to this moment.

"You could feel that in training, everyone was hungry -- and looking forward to the first game."

<h2>- 'Extreme challenge' -</h2>

Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the league's plan to restart with regular testing of players and strict hygiene measures in place.

Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned clubs they are "on probation" because of fears an outbreak of the virus in the competition could again see the season suspended.

The clubs are now holding practice sessions featuring the whole squad after weeks of training in small groups.

Dortmund host arch rivals Schalke on Saturday in the first derby without spectators in the rivalry's 95-year history.

Dortmund played the first of two training matches at Signal Iduna Park without injured midfielders Axel Witsel and Emre Can.

"We are used to playing at home in front of 82,000," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told German daily Bild.

"To prepare mentally now to play without being cheered and without being pushed by the atmosphere is an extreme challenge."

<h2>- 'Stick to the rules' -</h2>

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is hoping his side can treat the remainder of the campaign as a mini-tournament to help them rekindle their title challenge.

The third-placed outfit, five points behind Bayern, host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday.

"The whole situation is like before a tournament: we all had a short break, then a relaxed phase and now an intense preparation," Nagelsmann told magazine Kicker.

"When Bayern are on top form, they usually decide the league title for themselves, especially with this lead.

"We're going to try to win this nine-game tournament -- with the theoretical possibility of finishing first."

Nagelsmann said the onus is on the players to obey the hygiene regulations.

"You don't have to have studied nuclear physics to understand that it is advisable to stick to the rules," he said.

"After all, if there are no more matches, the salaries will be significantly lower than before."

Clubs must finish the season by June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) in television money.

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors.

David Alaba says Bayern Munich are "hungry" and enjoying their return to full-team training ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga this weekend behind closed doors. The German top flight resumes on Saturday after the season was suspended in mid-March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. It will be the first major European league to resume after the outbreak of the pandemic, which has so far claimed around 7,500 lives in Germany. Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been putting his players through their paces in training sessions at the Allianz Arena. Bayern, who were four points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund in their bid for an eighth straight Bundesliga title when football was halted, restart their season at Union Berlin on Sunday. "It was really very, very nice to be back on the pitch, training as a whole team," said Alaba. "You could tell how much we have all looked forward to this moment. "You could feel that in training, everyone was hungry -- and looking forward to the first game." - 'Extreme challenge' - Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the league's plan to restart with regular testing of players and strict hygiene measures in place. Bundesliga CEO Christian Seifert has warned clubs they are "on probation" because of fears an outbreak of the virus in the competition could again see the season suspended. The clubs are now holding practice sessions featuring the whole squad after weeks of training in small groups. Dortmund host arch rivals Schalke on Saturday in the first derby without spectators in the rivalry's 95-year history. Dortmund played the first of two training matches at Signal Iduna Park without injured midfielders Axel Witsel and Emre Can. "We are used to playing at home in front of 82,000," Dortmund coach Lucien Favre told German daily Bild. "To prepare mentally now to play without being cheered and without being pushed by the atmosphere is an extreme challenge." - 'Stick to the rules' - RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is hoping his side can treat the remainder of the campaign as a mini-tournament to help them rekindle their title challenge. The third-placed outfit, five points behind Bayern, host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday. "The whole situation is like before a tournament: we all had a short break, then a relaxed phase and now an intense preparation," Nagelsmann told magazine Kicker. "When Bayern are on top form, they usually decide the league title for themselves, especially with this lead. "We're going to try to win this nine-game tournament -- with the theoretical possibility of finishing first." Nagelsmann said the onus is on the players to obey the hygiene regulations. "You don't have to have studied nuclear physics to understand that it is advisable to stick to the rules," he said. "After all, if there are no more matches, the salaries will be significantly lower than before." Clubs must finish the season by June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) in television money.

'Hungry' Bayern delighted to be back in training, says Alaba

Philippe Coutinho, who is currently on a loan in Bayern Munich has been for sale from the Catalonia side. Many Premier League teams have tried to approach the club to buy the Brazilian Playmaker.&nbsp;

But Bayern's Thiago has urged the Brazilian to permanent his stay in the German club. He said: "I know him well. He’s very good. I’ve seen him play since he was 12 years old.

"I played futsal against him in Brazil and he loved it. He doesn’t think he lacks anything.

"I love playing with high-level footballers and he is a phenomenon. He is a spectacular guy, super hard-working, with an unbeatable technique and incredible definition.

"Players go through good and not so good moments and he is giving us a lot. We hope to have him next year too."

Coutinho was bought in January 2018 on a record £142 million deal to Barcelona. But he struggled to find his form and went out for a loan to Bayern Munich, where he scored eight goals in 15 matches.&nbsp;

German giants are not expected to activate £100 million to purchase the 27-year-old due to being financially hit due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has given Chelsea and New Castle a chance to have their say in the transfer.

Philippe Coutinho, who is currently on a loan in Bayern Munich has been for sale from the Catalonia side. Many Premier League teams have tried to approach the club to buy the Brazilian Playmaker.

Philippe Coutinho, who is currently on a loan in Bayern Munich has been for sale from the Catalonia side. Many Premier League teams have tried to approach the club to buy the Brazilian Playmaker. But Bayern's Thiago has urged the Brazilian to permanent his stay in the German club. He said: "I know him well. He’s very good. I’ve seen him play since he was 12 years old. "I played futsal against him in Brazil and he loved it. He doesn’t think he lacks anything. "I love playing with high-level footballers and he is a phenomenon. He is a spectacular guy, super hard-working, with an unbeatable technique and incredible definition. "Players go through good and not so good moments and he is giving us a lot. We hope to have him next year too." Coutinho was bought in January 2018 on a record £142 million deal to Barcelona. But he struggled to find his form and went out for a loan to Bayern Munich, where he scored eight goals in 15 matches. German giants are not expected to activate £100 million to purchase the 27-year-old due to being financially hit due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has given Chelsea and New Castle a chance to have their say in the transfer.

Philippe Coutinho might snub English teams to stay in Bundesliga

Germany and Bayern Munich defender Niklas Suele admits having mixed feelings about the possible return of German league football next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Next Thursday, the German Football League (DFL) plans to meet via video conference with the 36 clubs in the first two leagues to discuss whether matches can resume in early May.

As public events in Germany are banned until August 31, football matches before that date could only be played in near-empty stadiums with fans locked out.

If the German authorities give the green light, the Bundesliga could be the first top European league to resume since German league matches were halted on March 13.

Most of the 18 top flight clubs in Germany returned to training last week, albeit with social distancing being observed even on the pitch.

The DFL is determined to finish the season by June 30 to ensure its clubs do not lose out on crucial TV rights revenue, but Suele is sceptical.

"There are many more important things than football at the moment," the 24-year-old told AFP subsidiary SID.

"Of course I want to get fit and play again, but the important thing is that my family is well, that everyone is healthy.

"As football professionals, we are blessed when we see how many companies have to close or how hard some families are hit. That's bad.

"Whether we play sooner or later is irrelevant."

However, Suele admits he would be "very happy if we could start again. Maybe it would also be a little distraction for many fans".

Suele has returned to training after a serious knee injury last October, and acknowledges that his comeback will probably be in front of empty terraces.

"Of course, during rehab I imagined how nice it would be to run out at the sold-out Allianz Arena (Bayern's home ground) again," he said.

"Unfortunately, that's going to be a thing of the past, but I'd still be happy to be able to play with my team again."

In Germany, games played behind locked doors are called "ghost games" and Suele insists they are a better option than no matches at all.

"From my point of view, there's no player anyway who'd rather not play at all than have ghost games," he added.

Just over 3,500 people have so far died due to the coronavirus in Germany.

Germany and Bayern Munich defender Niklas Suele admits having mixed feelings about the possible return of German league football next month amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Germany and Bayern Munich defender Niklas Suele admits having mixed feelings about the possible return of German league football next month amid the coronavirus pandemic. Next Thursday, the German Football League (DFL) plans to meet via video conference with the 36 clubs in the first two leagues to discuss whether matches can resume in early May. As public events in Germany are banned until August 31, football matches before that date could only be played in near-empty stadiums with fans locked out. If the German authorities give the green light, the Bundesliga could be the first top European league to resume since German league matches were halted on March 13. Most of the 18 top flight clubs in Germany returned to training last week, albeit with social distancing being observed even on the pitch. The DFL is determined to finish the season by June 30 to ensure its clubs do not lose out on crucial TV rights revenue, but Suele is sceptical. "There are many more important things than football at the moment," the 24-year-old told AFP subsidiary SID. "Of course I want to get fit and play again, but the important thing is that my family is well, that everyone is healthy. "As football professionals, we are blessed when we see how many companies have to close or how hard some families are hit. That's bad. "Whether we play sooner or later is irrelevant." However, Suele admits he would be "very happy if we could start again. Maybe it would also be a little distraction for many fans". Suele has returned to training after a serious knee injury last October, and acknowledges that his comeback will probably be in front of empty terraces. "Of course, during rehab I imagined how nice it would be to run out at the sold-out Allianz Arena (Bayern's home ground) again," he said. "Unfortunately, that's going to be a thing of the past, but I'd still be happy to be able to play with my team again." In Germany, games played behind locked doors are called "ghost games" and Suele insists they are a better option than no matches at all. "From my point of view, there's no player anyway who'd rather not play at all than have ghost games," he added. Just over 3,500 people have so far died due to the coronavirus in Germany.

Bayern star Suele wary of Bundesliga returning too soon

Bayern Munich said Sunday that players will return to training on Monday for the first time since the Bundesliga was suspended due to the coronavirus.

Bayern led the table by four points when the season was halted on March 13.

"The Bayern Munich first team will return to training in small groups from Monday, April 6," said a statement from the club.

"This will&nbsp;be done in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities.&nbsp;

"It goes without saying that all hygiene regulations will be strictly observed."

German football league officials had already advised a break in training until Sunday at the earliest.

Bayern said that training will be held in private with no members of the public allowed.

"In order to further slow the spread of the coronavirus, Bayern asks fans to continue to follow the instructions of the authorities and therefore please do not come to the Bayern training ground," added the statement.

More than 1,300 people have died in Germany from the coronavirus.

Bayern Munich said Sunday that players will return to training on Monday for the first time since the Bundesliga was suspended due to the coronavirus. Bayern led the table by four points when the season was halted on March 13.

Bayern Munich said Sunday that players will return to training on Monday for the first time since the Bundesliga was suspended due to the coronavirus. Bayern led the table by four points when the season was halted on March 13. "The Bayern Munich first team will return to training in small groups from Monday, April 6," said a statement from the club. "This will be done in coordination with government policy and the relevant authorities. "It goes without saying that all hygiene regulations will be strictly observed." German football league officials had already advised a break in training until Sunday at the earliest. Bayern said that training will be held in private with no members of the public allowed. "In order to further slow the spread of the coronavirus, Bayern asks fans to continue to follow the instructions of the authorities and therefore please do not come to the Bayern training ground," added the statement. More than 1,300 people have died in Germany from the coronavirus.

Bayern Munich to resume training on Monday

Bayern Munich chief Herbert Hainer is expecting a significant decrease in transfer fees of players due to the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

Despite a common $100 million transfer fees during the windows these years, Munich has been very modest with their spending. Only last year they broke their transfer record by buying Lucas Hernandez for $90 million.&nbsp;

Neymar is currently the world's most expensive player after his $264 million transfer to Paris Saint Germain in August 2017.&nbsp;

Teams across Europe have cut short their wages to ease the situation for dried up revenues due to the halt in global football due to coronavirus. Bayern Munich players have given up 20 per cent of their wages.&nbsp;

Hainer in an interview to a local german magazine said: "As I said, although serious predictions are difficult to make, it's obvious there'll be changes. I agree with Uli Hoeness' assumption that transfer fees will decrease. That's just logical.

"When income decreases, there's less money in circulation. And given the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on people's everyday lives, outrageous sums in the millions are even less justifiable than they already were.

"My hope is that more common sense will be applied here as well. I have to take my hat off to Hasan Salihamidzic and our sporting leadership. They're handling the coronavirus situation very well."

Talking about the financial crisis the clubs are facing due to standstill, Bayern president said: &nbsp;"Of course, the situation is very tense. It's about the existence of individual clubs. And even FC Bayern faces a major financial challenge – that's no secret."

"But our club is in an excellent position. We work day after day to ensure that FC Bayern can navigate through this phase without any major damage.

"Despite this immense task, we're looking to the future with confidence."

Bayern Munich chief Herbert Hainer is expecting a significant decrease in transfer fees of players due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite a common $100 million transfer fees during the windows these years, Munich has been very modest with their spending.

Bayern Munich chief Herbert Hainer is expecting a significant decrease in transfer fees of players due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite a common $100 million transfer fees during the windows these years, Munich has been very modest with their spending. Only last year they broke their transfer record by buying Lucas Hernandez for $90 million. Neymar is currently the world's most expensive player after his $264 million transfer to Paris Saint Germain in August 2017. Teams across Europe have cut short their wages to ease the situation for dried up revenues due to the halt in global football due to coronavirus. Bayern Munich players have given up 20 per cent of their wages. Hainer in an interview to a local german magazine said: "As I said, although serious predictions are difficult to make, it's obvious there'll be changes. I agree with Uli Hoeness' assumption that transfer fees will decrease. That's just logical. "When income decreases, there's less money in circulation. And given the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on people's everyday lives, outrageous sums in the millions are even less justifiable than they already were. "My hope is that more common sense will be applied here as well. I have to take my hat off to Hasan Salihamidzic and our sporting leadership. They're handling the coronavirus situation very well." Talking about the financial crisis the clubs are facing due to standstill, Bayern president said: "Of course, the situation is very tense. It's about the existence of individual clubs. And even FC Bayern faces a major financial challenge – that's no secret." "But our club is in an excellent position. We work day after day to ensure that FC Bayern can navigate through this phase without any major damage. "Despite this immense task, we're looking to the future with confidence."

'Transfer fees will decrease due to COVID-19': Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer

Bayern Munich continues their dominating streak in London after beating Chelsea 3-0 in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-frank-lampard-prepares-his-team-for-gruesome-clash-with-bayern-munich-282638">Champions League: Frank Lampard prepares his team for gruesome clash with Bayern Munich</a>

A brace from Serge Gnabry and a goal from Robert Lewandowski ensured that Bayern Munich destroyed Chelsea handing a massive advantage to the German team.&nbsp;

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Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was disappointed with the scoreline and he said: “It was a harsh lesson, a reality check for the players of the levels we want to get to,”.&nbsp;

He went on to add: "That's football at this level, the levels of Bayern were fantastic. It was a harsh lesson for the players. It's the reality of the Champions League,"

Lampard blamed this humiliation on their failure to sign players last month: “There’s no point in looking back on anything other than the fact of being real about where we are...we’re now fighting to come in the top four this year because we want to then improve in the summer. We also have to go to Munich and play with a lot of pride in a few weeks. Today was just a clear show that there’s a lot of work to be done and I felt that when I took the job.”

Jorginho will be missing his second leg after a yellow card for arguing with the referee and Marco Alonso's red card left Chelsea manager Lampard fuming. He said: "I learned about the players. We have to show character. They need to use it to positive effect,".&nbsp;

Chelsea has now lost eight matches at their home ground (Stamford Bridge) in all competitions this season. This is the most in a single campaign since 1985-86.

Bayern Munich will host Chelsea in the second leg of the Round of 16 clash on March 19. (Aggregate 3-0) 
&nbsp;

Bayern Munich continues their dominating streak in London after beating Chelsea 3-0 in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge.

Bayern Munich continues their dominating streak in London after beating Chelsea 3-0 in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge. Also read: Champions League: Frank Lampard prepares his team for gruesome clash with Bayern Munich A brace from Serge Gnabry and a goal from Robert Lewandowski ensured that Bayern Munich destroyed Chelsea handing a massive advantage to the German team. 🔴💪 pic.twitter.com/ryftjg0wPM — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 25, 2020 × Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was disappointed with the scoreline and he said: “It was a harsh lesson, a reality check for the players of the levels we want to get to,”. He went on to add: "That's football at this level, the levels of Bayern were fantastic. It was a harsh lesson for the players. It's the reality of the Champions League," Lampard blamed this humiliation on their failure to sign players last month: “There’s no point in looking back on anything other than the fact of being real about where we are...we’re now fighting to come in the top four this year because we want to then improve in the summer. We also have to go to Munich and play with a lot of pride in a few weeks. Today was just a clear show that there’s a lot of work to be done and I felt that when I took the job.” Jorginho will be missing his second leg after a yellow card for arguing with the referee and Marco Alonso's red card left Chelsea manager Lampard fuming. He said: "I learned about the players. We have to show character. They need to use it to positive effect,". Chelsea has now lost eight matches at their home ground (Stamford Bridge) in all competitions this season. This is the most in a single campaign since 1985-86. Bayern Munich will host Chelsea in the second leg of the Round of 16 clash on March 19. (Aggregate 3-0)

Champions League: Bayern Munich thrash Chelsea in first leg of Round of 16

&nbsp;

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said that his team is preparing for a gruesome fixture against Bayern Munich for the round of 16 clash in Champions League.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-simeones-atletico-stun-mighty-liverpool-in-1st-leg-of-round-of-16-281473">Champions League: Simeone's Atletico stun mighty Liverpool in 1st leg of round of 16</a>

The match will be played in Stamford Bridge, London. Their rivals Tottenham Hotspurs faced heavy defeat by the hands of German heavyweight in the group stage. Spurs lost 7-2 at home and 3-1 away.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jose-mourinho-bans-spurs-players-from-watching-bayern-thrashing-267565">Jose Mourinho bans Spurs players from watching Bayern thrashing</a>

Lampard said "definitively," if they (Chelsea) learnt lessons from their derby club's defeat by the hands of Bayern which is also the biggest margin of defeat for an English team at home in any European competition. Chelsea has beaten Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League finals on penalties.&nbsp;

Lampard said: "It is a club that overcomes difficulties because of the strength, their structure. I have huge respect for them (Bayern). Every year they can win the Champions League but our job is to try and stop them."

"I understand it if people call us underdogs because Bayern are so strong. Maybe we do not have their experience but we are here to turn it around. Those are the best stories in sport," he added.&nbsp;

Bayern Munich topped their group after winning all six games and are table-toppers in Bundesliga. They will be eyeing a record-extending eight Bundesliga win.&nbsp;

Chelsea were second in their group with three wins, two draws and one loss and are currently fourth in the Premier League.&nbsp;

Chelsea will be missing their key player N'Golo Kante, who was forced out due to injury and Oliver Giroud could make it to the playing XI after a good Saturday clash against Spurs.&nbsp;

(inputs from Reuters)

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said that his team is preparing for a gruesome fixture against Bayern Munich for the round of 16 clash in Champions League. Also read: Champions League: Simeone's Atletico stun mighty Liverpool in 1st leg of round of 16 The match will be played in Stamford Bridge, London.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said that his team is preparing for a gruesome fixture against Bayern Munich for the round of 16 clash in Champions League. Also read: Champions League: Simeone's Atletico stun mighty Liverpool in 1st leg of round of 16 The match will be played in Stamford Bridge, London. Their rivals Tottenham Hotspurs faced heavy defeat by the hands of German heavyweight in the group stage. Spurs lost 7-2 at home and 3-1 away. Also read: Jose Mourinho bans Spurs players from watching Bayern thrashing Lampard said "definitively," if they (Chelsea) learnt lessons from their derby club's defeat by the hands of Bayern which is also the biggest margin of defeat for an English team at home in any European competition. Chelsea has beaten Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League finals on penalties. Lampard said: "It is a club that overcomes difficulties because of the strength, their structure. I have huge respect for them (Bayern). Every year they can win the Champions League but our job is to try and stop them." "I understand it if people call us underdogs because Bayern are so strong. Maybe we do not have their experience but we are here to turn it around. Those are the best stories in sport," he added. Bayern Munich topped their group after winning all six games and are table-toppers in Bundesliga. They will be eyeing a record-extending eight Bundesliga win. Chelsea were second in their group with three wins, two draws and one loss and are currently fourth in the Premier League. Chelsea will be missing their key player N'Golo Kante, who was forced out due to injury and Oliver Giroud could make it to the playing XI after a good Saturday clash against Spurs. (inputs from Reuters)

Champions League: Frank Lampard prepares his team for gruesome clash with Bayern Munich

RB Leipzig eased past struggling Werder Bremen 3-0 on Saturday to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga, two points ahead of champions Bayern Munich. Having failed to win in their last four games in all competitions, Leipzig were desperate to bounce back on their home ground and Lukas Klostermann's 18th-minute goal quickly put them in the driving seat.

RB Leipzig eased past struggling Werder Bremen 3-0 on Saturday to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga, two points ahead of champions Bayern Munich. Having failed to win in their last four games in all competitions, Leipzig were desperate to bounce back on their home ground and Lukas Klostermann's 18th-minute goal quickly put them in the driving seat. Patrik Schick, who had set up Klostermann, then grabbed one himself, heading in his sixth league goal in the 39th minute before Nordi Mukiele latched on to a deep through ball to fire in their third goal a minute after the restart. [ Leipzig's French defender Nordi Mukiele (C) scores the 3-0 goal past Bremen's Czech goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka (R) during the German first division Bundesliga football match (Courtesy: AFP) ] Leipzig, who face Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday, move up to 45 points, with Bayern, in action against Cologne on Sunday, on 43. Borussia Dortmund, winners 4-0 over Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, are in third place on 42. "We played a good game and fully deserved to win," Czech international Schick told reporters. "I am happy for my goal but more importantly it is a big boost ahead of Spurs." Lars Stindl scored twice as Borussia Moenchengladbach stormed to a 4-1 win at Fortuna Duesseldorf - their first away win since November - to join Dortmund on 42 points. Also Read: Claudio Pizarro joins Werder Bremen for a fourth and final stint Former champions Werder, who have now lost eight of their last nine league games, are stuck in 17th place, a point above last-placed Paderborn. Bayer Leverkusen kept their Champions League hopes intact when Karim Bellarabi struck in stoppage time to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory at Union Berlin to keep them within striking distance of a top-four spot, in fifth place on 40. The game was repeatedly interrupted after fans lit flares and smoke bombs in the stands. Hertha Berlin made a winning start to life after Juergen Klinsman, beating Paderborn 2-1 with a goal from Dedryck Boyata and an own goal from Jamilu Collins, in their first game since their former coach's surprise departure this week. Klinsmann, a former Germany and U.S. national team coach, quit after only 76 days in charge, complaining about a lack of trust and support. Hertha's win lifted them further away from the relegation zone and into 13th place. Dutchman Wout Weghorst scored a hat-trick in VfL Wolfsburg's 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim, who twice come back from a goal down only to lose.

Bundesliga: Leipzig back on top with 3-0 win over strugglers Werder

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-bayern-seal-last-16-berth-as-lewandowski-strikes-again-260439">Bayern Munich scored</a> three goals in the opening 26 minutes to defeat Mainz 05 3-1 away on Saturday and go a point clear at the top of the Bundesliga with their sixth straight win. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski headed in his 22nd league goal in the eighth minute and Thomas Mueller and Thiago Alcantara added two more to lift the Bavarians to 42 points, one ahead of RB Leipzig who drew 2-2 at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bayern-demolish-schalke-lewandowski-strikes-early-276615">Bayern's fast start</a> was enough to kill off the game and Mainz, who cut the deficit on the stroke of halftime through Jeremiah St Juste, rarely threatened although Leandro Barreiro hit the post. The Bavarians also set a club record with 58 goals in their 20 league games in a boost for interim coach Hansi Flick, whose future at the club is still unclear.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-dortmund-loose-out-on-two-goal-lead-to-draw-3-3-with-rb-leipzig-268861">Football: Dortmund loose out on two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with RB Leipzig</a>

<img alt=" Benjamin Pavard" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="045e20c8-7192-46b9-b9a4-e39b48d5cf8e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-02-02T124532.290.jpg" /> 
[&nbsp;Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard in action (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

"I was fascinated by our opening 30 minutes," Flick said. "After that, we did too little. We took the speed and pace out of our game. "We defended well and brought the three points home," he said as Bayern prepare to face Leipzig next week. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bundesliga-hoffenheim-stun-borussia-dortmund-after-late-strike-269439">Borussia Dortmund</a> enjoyed an even more dominant afternoon, demolishing Union Berlin 5-0 with two goals from Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland, the first player in Bundesliga history to score seven goals in his first three matches.

Leipzig had to come from two goals behind to salvage a point against Gladbach thanks to Christopher Nkunku's 89th-minute equaliser. Gladbach, down to 10 men on the hour, had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half but a Patrik Schick goal in the 50th and Nkunku's shot rescued a point for the hosts. 
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Bayern Munich scored three goals in the opening 26 minutes to defeat Mainz 05 3-1 away on Saturday and go a point clear at the top of the Bundesliga with their sixth straight win.

Bayern Munich scored three goals in the opening 26 minutes to defeat Mainz 05 3-1 away on Saturday and go a point clear at the top of the Bundesliga with their sixth straight win. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski headed in his 22nd league goal in the eighth minute and Thomas Mueller and Thiago Alcantara added two more to lift the Bavarians to 42 points, one ahead of RB Leipzig who drew 2-2 at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach. Bayern's fast start was enough to kill off the game and Mainz, who cut the deficit on the stroke of halftime through Jeremiah St Juste, rarely threatened although Leandro Barreiro hit the post. The Bavarians also set a club record with 58 goals in their 20 league games in a boost for interim coach Hansi Flick, whose future at the club is still unclear. Also Read: Football: Dortmund loose out on two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with RB Leipzig [ Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard in action (Courtesy: Reuters) ] "I was fascinated by our opening 30 minutes," Flick said. "After that, we did too little. We took the speed and pace out of our game. "We defended well and brought the three points home," he said as Bayern prepare to face Leipzig next week. Borussia Dortmund enjoyed an even more dominant afternoon, demolishing Union Berlin 5-0 with two goals from Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland, the first player in Bundesliga history to score seven goals in his first three matches. Leipzig had to come from two goals behind to salvage a point against Gladbach thanks to Christopher Nkunku's 89th-minute equaliser. Gladbach, down to 10 men on the hour, had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half but a Patrik Schick goal in the 50th and Nkunku's shot rescued a point for the hosts.

Dortmund's Haaland scores; Bayern beat Mainz to reach the top

18-year-old Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee&nbsp;came on in the 90th minute before breaking a 1-1 deadlock, becoming the youngest player to score a goal this Bundesliga season.

Bayern's Serge Gnabry added another in the final minute of injury time to put the result beyond doubt, crushing the hopes of a dogged and determined home side.

It was business as usual early for Bayern, with Philippe Coutinho's chip over goalkeeper Mark Flekken cleared off the line after just two minutes. &nbsp;

In the 16th minute, 19-year-old Canadian Alphonso Davies put in a superb cross from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-bayern-forward-coman-out-until-january-with-knee-injury-268037">left-wing</a>, with Robert Lewandowski on the spot to open the scoring.&nbsp;&nbsp;

It was Lewandowski's 19th league goal of the season –&nbsp;and the sixth time he opened the scoring for Munich this campaign.

The goal seemed to calm Bayern, with the Bavarians content to dominate possession without making too many incursions into the Freiburg end.

After the half-time break, Freiburg showed the form that has taken them to sixth in the table, catching Bayern on the counter to create several half chances.

Vincenzo Grifo equalised in the 59th minute, nailing Janik Haberer's cross to give <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-bayern-brush-aside-mourinhos-spurs-to-claim-perfect-six-267846">Bayern</a> keeper Manuel Neuer no chance.

Freiburg had several chances to take the lead as the clock ran down, with Bayern's players visibly shaken by the home team's relentless pressing.

The win sees Bayern go into third place, four points behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-dortmund-loose-out-on-two-goal-lead-to-draw-3-3-with-rb-leipzig-268861">Leipzig</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-league-manchester-united-thrash-az-basaksehir-dump-moenchengladbach-out-of-europa-league-268032">Borussia Moenchengladbach</a>.

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⏱️ 90: Subs on Joshua Zirkzee 
⏱️ 90+2: Joshua Zirkzee makes it 2-1 
 
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&nbsp;

Moenchengladbach overcame their recent poor form to defeat relegation favourites Paderborn 2-0 through a goal from Alassane Plea and a penalty from Lars Stindl.

Gladbach scored immediately after the break, with Plea's goal coming just 13 seconds into the second half to make it Gladbach's best start to the season in 42 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wolfsburg left it late to equalise at home to Schalke, Kevin Mbabu scoring in the 82nd minute to cancel out a 51st-minute strike from Ozan Kabak.

In Frankfurt, Cologne continued their excellent recent run of form, beating Eintracht 4-2 through three second-half goals.

After starting the season in terrible form, Cologne have now claimed the same amount of points in their past four games (seven) as they did in the first 12 matchdays.

Earlier, Jurgen Klinsmann claimed a second straight 1-0 win in charge of Hertha Berlin as Karim Rekik's second-half goal was enough to beat Bayern Leverkusen.

The three points move Hertha four points away from the relegation zone.

Peter Bosz's side are seventh after a second straight defeat.

Klinsmann, appointed at the end of November, made one change from Saturday's victory over Freiburg with Norway midfielder Per Skjelbred starting instead of forward Vedad Ibisevic.

Bosz gave Germany's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/netherlands-shock-stunned-germany-in-4-2-comeback-win-248233">Jonathan Tah</a> a first start since November after the defender missed two games due to suspension.

Hosts Leverkusen dominated possession throughout much of the game, but Hertha had the best of the scoring chances, frequently breaking on the counter.

Hertha's Javairo Dilrosun had the best chance of the first half, with his left-foot shot in the 20th minute agonisingly close to goal.

For the home side, Moussa Diaby looked the most dangerous down the right-wing.

The visitors got on the scoreboard in the 64th minute after defender Rekik made the most of a second shot at goal after his first effort was kept out by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

18-year-old Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee came on in the 90th minute before breaking a 1-1 deadlock, becoming the youngest player to score a goal this Bundesliga season.

18-year-old Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee came on in the 90th minute before breaking a 1-1 deadlock, becoming the youngest player to score a goal this Bundesliga season. Bayern's Serge Gnabry added another in the final minute of injury time to put the result beyond doubt, crushing the hopes of a dogged and determined home side. It was business as usual early for Bayern, with Philippe Coutinho's chip over goalkeeper Mark Flekken cleared off the line after just two minutes. In the 16th minute, 19-year-old Canadian Alphonso Davies put in a superb cross from the left-wing, with Robert Lewandowski on the spot to open the scoring. It was Lewandowski's 19th league goal of the season – and the sixth time he opened the scoring for Munich this campaign. The goal seemed to calm Bayern, with the Bavarians content to dominate possession without making too many incursions into the Freiburg end. After the half-time break, Freiburg showed the form that has taken them to sixth in the table, catching Bayern on the counter to create several half chances. Vincenzo Grifo equalised in the 59th minute, nailing Janik Haberer's cross to give Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer no chance. Freiburg had several chances to take the lead as the clock ran down, with Bayern's players visibly shaken by the home team's relentless pressing. The win sees Bayern go into third place, four points behind Leipzig and Borussia Moenchengladbach. ⏱️ 90: Subs on Joshua Zirkzee ⏱️ 90+2: Joshua Zirkzee makes it 2-1 🤷‍♂️#SCFFCB pic.twitter.com/pIqsxRrddN — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) December 18, 2019 × Moenchengladbach overcame their recent poor form to defeat relegation favourites Paderborn 2-0 through a goal from Alassane Plea and a penalty from Lars Stindl. Gladbach scored immediately after the break, with Plea's goal coming just 13 seconds into the second half to make it Gladbach's best start to the season in 42 years. Wolfsburg left it late to equalise at home to Schalke, Kevin Mbabu scoring in the 82nd minute to cancel out a 51st-minute strike from Ozan Kabak. In Frankfurt, Cologne continued their excellent recent run of form, beating Eintracht 4-2 through three second-half goals. After starting the season in terrible form, Cologne have now claimed the same amount of points in their past four games (seven) as they did in the first 12 matchdays. Earlier, Jurgen Klinsmann claimed a second straight 1-0 win in charge of Hertha Berlin as Karim Rekik's second-half goal was enough to beat Bayern Leverkusen. The three points move Hertha four points away from the relegation zone. Peter Bosz's side are seventh after a second straight defeat. Klinsmann, appointed at the end of November, made one change from Saturday's victory over Freiburg with Norway midfielder Per Skjelbred starting instead of forward Vedad Ibisevic. Bosz gave Germany's Jonathan Tah a first start since November after the defender missed two games due to suspension. Hosts Leverkusen dominated possession throughout much of the game, but Hertha had the best of the scoring chances, frequently breaking on the counter. Hertha's Javairo Dilrosun had the best chance of the first half, with his left-foot shot in the 20th minute agonisingly close to goal. For the home side, Moussa Diaby looked the most dangerous down the right-wing. The visitors got on the scoreboard in the 64th minute after defender Rekik made the most of a second shot at goal after his first effort was kept out by goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

Football: Teenager Zirkzee sparks Bayern's winning late show

Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman's knee injury which he sustained in Wednesday's Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur, will keep him sidelined until January as it looked worse than it actually was, the club said.

The Frenchman, who has suffered several severe knee injuries in the past seasons, was injured during <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-bayern-brush-aside-mourinhos-spurs-to-claim-perfect-six-267846/amp">Bayern's 3-1 home victory</a> over Tottenham that sent them through to the competition's knockout stages as group winners with a perfect record of six wins in six games.

"Obviously we were all shocked at the moment he sustained the injury but Kingsley had a lot of luck," club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt said in a statement. "The checks showed that he will miss only three matches and he will be able to do the entire preparation in Doha."

Coman, 23, opened the scoring in the 14th minute but jarred his knee just over 10 minutes later and left the pitch in considerable pain.

He tore a capsule in his left knee and also damaged a tendon and jarred the knee joint, forcing him to wear a knee splint. The Bundesliga pauses on December&nbsp;22 and resumes about a month later following a winter break.

The five-time European champions became the first German team, and only the seventh in all, to win all six group games in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/atletico-madrid-stroll-into-champions-league-knockouts-267845">Champions League</a>, giving them a much-needed lift after their domestic struggles this season.

Bayern have won the German top-flight title a record 29 times, including the last seven seasons in a row, but are currently seventh in the standings, seven points behind leaders Borussia <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/europa-league-manchester-united-thrash-az-basaksehir-dump-moenchengladbach-out-of-europa-league-268032">Moenchengladbach</a>.

The champions parted company with coach Niko Kovac last month and interim boss Hansi Flick said they would immediately switch focus to putting things right in the league, where they have lost their last two games.

"We didn't get everything right today, but we won and that's a sign that we have to keep going. We now have three games until the winter break to switch our attention to," he added.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hailed Bayern's "historic" achievement in Europe, but said the team were already looking ahead to Saturday's home league match against Werder Bremen.

"We didn't just want to break the record in the group, we want to win every game," Neuer added. "Now we have three more important games and we have to put our all into winning all of them."

Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman's knee injury which he sustained in Wednesday's Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur, will keep him sidelined until January as it looked worse than it actually was, the club said.

Bayern Munich forward Kingsley Coman's knee injury which he sustained in Wednesday's Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur, will keep him sidelined until January as it looked worse than it actually was, the club said. The Frenchman, who has suffered several severe knee injuries in the past seasons, was injured during Bayern's 3-1 home victory over Tottenham that sent them through to the competition's knockout stages as group winners with a perfect record of six wins in six games. "Obviously we were all shocked at the moment he sustained the injury but Kingsley had a lot of luck," club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt said in a statement. "The checks showed that he will miss only three matches and he will be able to do the entire preparation in Doha." Coman, 23, opened the scoring in the 14th minute but jarred his knee just over 10 minutes later and left the pitch in considerable pain. He tore a capsule in his left knee and also damaged a tendon and jarred the knee joint, forcing him to wear a knee splint. The Bundesliga pauses on December 22 and resumes about a month later following a winter break. The five-time European champions became the first German team, and only the seventh in all, to win all six group games in the Champions League, giving them a much-needed lift after their domestic struggles this season. Bayern have won the German top-flight title a record 29 times, including the last seven seasons in a row, but are currently seventh in the standings, seven points behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach. The champions parted company with coach Niko Kovac last month and interim boss Hansi Flick said they would immediately switch focus to putting things right in the league, where they have lost their last two games. "We didn't get everything right today, but we won and that's a sign that we have to keep going. We now have three games until the winter break to switch our attention to," he added. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hailed Bayern's "historic" achievement in Europe, but said the team were already looking ahead to Saturday's home league match against Werder Bremen. "We didn't just want to break the record in the group, we want to win every game," Neuer added. "Now we have three more important games and we have to put our all into winning all of them."

Football: Bayern forward Coman out until January with knee injury

Champions League gears up for Final 16 draw after record breaking group stage

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bayern-munich-part-company-with-kovac-259760">Bayern Munich</a> on Wednesday became the first German club to win all of their six group matches in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-mourinho-masterstroke-pays-off-as-tottenham-spurs-hit-back-to-win-264816">Champions League</a> when they swept to a 3-1 home victory over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jose-mourinho-bans-spurs-players-from-watching-bayern-thrashing-267565">Jose Mourinho'</a>s Tottenham.

Both sides had already made sure of their progress to the last 16, but victory would have been a relief to caretaker-coach Hansi Flick after the German giants had lost their last two Bundesliga games.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bayern-munich-clear-kingsley-coman-for-liverpool-champions-league-match-197787">Kingsley Coman</a>, who suffered two ankle injuries in 2018, put Bayern ahead at the Allianz Arena before needing to be helped off on 27 minutes after badly twisting his knee.

Coman's injury "cast a big shadow on this game," said Flick.&nbsp;

"Kingsley left the stadium to go for tests, we can only hope it's not that bad."

Although teenager Ryan Sessegnon equalised with his first goal for Spurs, Coman's replacement Thomas Mueller restored Bayern's lead when he tapped home with half-time approaching.

With an hour gone, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/philippe-coutinho-joins-bayern-munich-new-challenges-await-brazilian-star-244151">Philippe Coutinho</a> bagged Bayern's third goal by firing an excellent shot into the far corner of the Spurs net.

"(We) really wanted to win to confirm to ourselves that what we are doing is right," said Mueller.&nbsp;

"Sometimes we were a little unlucky."

"We can only cross our fingers for Kingsley, his injury didn't look good at all," Mueller added of Frenchman Coman.

Bayern ran riot with a 7-2 thrashing of Spurs in north London when the clubs last met in October, but this was a far more subdued affair with both teams resting their star strikers.

As he had hinted Tuesday, Mourinho rested several stars with Lucas Moura taking the place of England striker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tottenham-making-same-old-mistakes-says-harry-kane-250773">Harry Kane</a>.

"I would have preferred a different result, but I am happy about the information I have learned about the players I used," said Mourinho.

"I am happy with the decisions I made and I hope the supporters understand that," he added after Dele Alli also did not make the trip to Munich.

Flick left Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, the competition's top-scorer with 10 goals in five games, on Bayern's bench.

The hosts went ahead on 13 minutes when Serge Gnabry spotted Coman unmarked to sweep the ball in and score his first Bayern goal for nearly three months.

However, Spurs drew level on 20 minutes when winger Sessegnon fired home the visitors' first clear chance to claim his first goal for the club since joining from Fulham.

Bayern then lost Coman, who was in clear distress after twisting his knee and had to be helped off.

Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko squandered a great chance when he got in behind the defence, but overhit his cross with Sessegnon unmarked on the far side.

Gnabry then hit the woodwork for Bayern and just before the break, left-back Alphonso Davies hit the post, but Mueller was on hand to tap home the rebound.

Coutinho then netted his first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-gabriel-jesus-hat-trick-gives-man-city-4-1-win-at-dinamo-zagreb-267832">Champions League</a> goal since joining Bayern on loan from Barcelona when he picked his spot in the far corner in the 64th minute.

Spurs' most dangerous moment of the second half saw Christian Eriksen's free-kick saved by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Bayern Munich on Wednesday became the first German club to win all of their six group matches in the Champions League when they swept to a 3-1 home victory over Jose Mourinho's Tottenham.

Bayern Munich on Wednesday became the first German club to win all of their six group matches in the Champions League when they swept to a 3-1 home victory over Jose Mourinho's Tottenham. Both sides had already made sure of their progress to the last 16, but victory would have been a relief to caretaker-coach Hansi Flick after the German giants had lost their last two Bundesliga games. Kingsley Coman, who suffered two ankle injuries in 2018, put Bayern ahead at the Allianz Arena before needing to be helped off on 27 minutes after badly twisting his knee. Coman's injury "cast a big shadow on this game," said Flick. "Kingsley left the stadium to go for tests, we can only hope it's not that bad." Although teenager Ryan Sessegnon equalised with his first goal for Spurs, Coman's replacement Thomas Mueller restored Bayern's lead when he tapped home with half-time approaching. With an hour gone, Philippe Coutinho bagged Bayern's third goal by firing an excellent shot into the far corner of the Spurs net. "(We) really wanted to win to confirm to ourselves that what we are doing is right," said Mueller. "Sometimes we were a little unlucky." "We can only cross our fingers for Kingsley, his injury didn't look good at all," Mueller added of Frenchman Coman. Bayern ran riot with a 7-2 thrashing of Spurs in north London when the clubs last met in October, but this was a far more subdued affair with both teams resting their star strikers. As he had hinted Tuesday, Mourinho rested several stars with Lucas Moura taking the place of England striker Harry Kane. "I would have preferred a different result, but I am happy about the information I have learned about the players I used," said Mourinho. "I am happy with the decisions I made and I hope the supporters understand that," he added after Dele Alli also did not make the trip to Munich. Flick left Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, the competition's top-scorer with 10 goals in five games, on Bayern's bench. The hosts went ahead on 13 minutes when Serge Gnabry spotted Coman unmarked to sweep the ball in and score his first Bayern goal for nearly three months. However, Spurs drew level on 20 minutes when winger Sessegnon fired home the visitors' first clear chance to claim his first goal for the club since joining from Fulham. Bayern then lost Coman, who was in clear distress after twisting his knee and had to be helped off. Spurs midfielder Moussa Sissoko squandered a great chance when he got in behind the defence, but overhit his cross with Sessegnon unmarked on the far side. Gnabry then hit the woodwork for Bayern and just before the break, left-back Alphonso Davies hit the post, but Mueller was on hand to tap home the rebound. Coutinho then netted his first Champions League goal since joining Bayern on loan from Barcelona when he picked his spot in the far corner in the 64th minute. Spurs' most dangerous moment of the second half saw Christian Eriksen's free-kick saved by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Champions League: Bayern brush aside Mourinho's Spurs to claim perfect six

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-tottenham-hotspur-name-mourinho-as-manager-263339">Tottenham Hotspur</a> manager <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jose-mourinho-makes-instant-impact-as-tottenham-defeat-west-ham-264133">Jose Mourinho</a> has banned his players from watching replays of their 7-2 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-liverpool-in-eye-of-storm-against-salzburg-267519">Champions League</a> home defeat by Bayern Munich earlier in the campaign as they prepare to face the Germans in the reverse fixture later on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-rashford-double-as-united-spoil-mourinhos-return-266316">Mauricio Pochettino</a> was in charge of the demolition by the German champions on October 1&nbsp;and while Mourinho, who replaced the Argentine last month, has watched a video of the match he said he did not want the players reminded of it.

"I forbid any image of it," Mourinho said at his pre-match news conference. "I watched it a couple of times: me, my staff and analysts try to go through every single aspect of that but not one single image for the boys. No. Not at all.

"There is a certain way that we try to play football and try to develop our principles of play and we're totally focused on us."

Both teams are already through to the knockout rounds and Mourinho, who has left Dele Alli, Serge Aurier, Harry Kane and Jan Vertonghen at home, said he would use the game to assess several fringe players.

"I arrive in mid-season, without four, five, six weeks to work and know the players&nbsp;so we have to do everything while we are running," he added.

"It's very important to me that the players are coachable and open. I think the boys need me and my job is to help them."

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has banned his players from watching replays of their 7-2 Champions League home defeat by Bayern Munich earlier in the campaign as they prepare to face the Germans in the reverse fixture later on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has banned his players from watching replays of their 7-2 Champions League home defeat by Bayern Munich earlier in the campaign as they prepare to face the Germans in the reverse fixture later on Wednesday. Mauricio Pochettino was in charge of the demolition by the German champions on October 1 and while Mourinho, who replaced the Argentine last month, has watched a video of the match he said he did not want the players reminded of it. "I forbid any image of it," Mourinho said at his pre-match news conference. "I watched it a couple of times: me, my staff and analysts try to go through every single aspect of that but not one single image for the boys. No. Not at all. "There is a certain way that we try to play football and try to develop our principles of play and we're totally focused on us." Both teams are already through to the knockout rounds and Mourinho, who has left Dele Alli, Serge Aurier, Harry Kane and Jan Vertonghen at home, said he would use the game to assess several fringe players. "I arrive in mid-season, without four, five, six weeks to work and know the players so we have to do everything while we are running," he added. "It's very important to me that the players are coachable and open. I think the boys need me and my job is to help them."

Jose Mourinho bans Spurs players from watching Bayern thrashing

Bayern Munich clinched their place in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-oxlade-chamberlain-strike-gives-liverpool-win-over-genk-260251">Champions League</a> last 16 by beating Olympiakos 2-0 at home on Wednesday as second-half strikes from Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic secured their fourth win in Group B.

Playing their first game since coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bayern-munich-part-company-with-kovac-259760">Niko Kovac was sacked</a> after the humiliating 5-1 drubbing at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern out-played the Greek champions but lacked composure in the area for large parts of the game.

They finally broke the deadlock in the 69th minute through Lewandowski, who continued his remarkable run of scoring in every Bundesliga and Champions League game this season.

The Polish striker prodded home a cross from Kingsley Coman from close range for his 21st strike in all competitions, setting interim boss Hansi Flick on the way to victory in his first game since being put in temporary charge.

Croatian winger Perisic claimed Bayern's second in the 89th to seal the win, slamming the ball home with his first touch less than 60 seconds after coming off the bench.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-bayern-must-pull-themselves-together-after-kovac-sacking-260232">Bayer</a>n top Group B with 12 points from four games and will be confirmed as group winners if Red Star Belgrade's match with Tottenham Hotspur later on Wednesday ends in a draw.

"I'm very happy with the performance and that we have progressed. The situation hasn't been easy for the team but we managed to put into practice all the things we have been working on in training," Flick said.

"I think in the first half we didn't create enough clear-cut chances, so we need to try to do better there.

"The win was important as we wanted to qualify for the last 16 today. We managed that. It was also important how we played."

Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins was not pleased with his side's display as they struggled to work Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"Bayern pressured us a lot, constricting us on the pitch," he said. "We should have been faster in order to escape their stranglehold. We lost many balls. I was expecting more from my team. We could have done better."

Bayern Munich clinched their place in the Champions League last 16 by beating Olympiakos 2-0 at home on Wednesday as second-half strikes from Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic secured their fourth win in Group B.

Bayern Munich clinched their place in the Champions League last 16 by beating Olympiakos 2-0 at home on Wednesday as second-half strikes from Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic secured their fourth win in Group B. Playing their first game since coach Niko Kovac was sacked after the humiliating 5-1 drubbing at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern out-played the Greek champions but lacked composure in the area for large parts of the game. They finally broke the deadlock in the 69th minute through Lewandowski, who continued his remarkable run of scoring in every Bundesliga and Champions League game this season. The Polish striker prodded home a cross from Kingsley Coman from close range for his 21st strike in all competitions, setting interim boss Hansi Flick on the way to victory in his first game since being put in temporary charge. Croatian winger Perisic claimed Bayern's second in the 89th to seal the win, slamming the ball home with his first touch less than 60 seconds after coming off the bench. Bayern top Group B with 12 points from four games and will be confirmed as group winners if Red Star Belgrade's match with Tottenham Hotspur later on Wednesday ends in a draw. "I'm very happy with the performance and that we have progressed. The situation hasn't been easy for the team but we managed to put into practice all the things we have been working on in training," Flick said. "I think in the first half we didn't create enough clear-cut chances, so we need to try to do better there. "The win was important as we wanted to qualify for the last 16 today. We managed that. It was also important how we played." Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins was not pleased with his side's display as they struggled to work Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. "Bayern pressured us a lot, constricting us on the pitch," he said. "We should have been faster in order to escape their stranglehold. We lost many balls. I was expecting more from my team. We could have done better."

Champions League: Bayern seal last-16 berth as Lewandowski strikes again

Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag says he will stay at the club until the end of the season despite links to the vacant position at Bayern Munich.

The Bundesliga champions parted ways with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bayern-munich-part-company-with-kovac-259760">Niko Kovac</a> on Sunday after a 5-1 thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt in the league and Ten Hag has been heavily linked to the role.

The coach signed a new contract at Ajax until June 2022 in the close season after leading the club to a league and cup double as well as the Champions League semi-finals.

Ten Hag previously coached Bayern Munich's reserve team between 2013 and 2015.

"I&nbsp;can confirm I feel a strong connection with my team and everyone at Ajax," Ten Hag told reporters ahead of Ajax's Champions League clash with Chelsea.

"I can confirm I'm staying at Ajax this season. Bayern is a fantastic club, it is still in my heart, but I'm at Ajax.

"I'm not a dreamer. I focus on Ajax and live for today, and tomorrow's game, which is important."

Bayern are fourth in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach, while unbeaten Ajax are six points clear at the top of the Eredivisie.

In the Champions League, Ajax are second in Group H, level on six points with first place Chelsea after three games.

"I have a lot of respect for Chelsea but I also trust my players," added Ten Hag.&nbsp;"When they play as a team for 90 minutes we have a chance to win. We will go for it."

Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag says he will stay at the club until the end of the season despite links to the vacant position at Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions parted ways with Niko Kovac on Sunday after a 5-1 thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt in the league and Ten Hag has been heavily linked to the role.

Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag says he will stay at the club until the end of the season despite links to the vacant position at Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions parted ways with Niko Kovac on Sunday after a 5-1 thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt in the league and Ten Hag has been heavily linked to the role. The coach signed a new contract at Ajax until June 2022 in the close season after leading the club to a league and cup double as well as the Champions League semi-finals. Ten Hag previously coached Bayern Munich's reserve team between 2013 and 2015. "I can confirm I feel a strong connection with my team and everyone at Ajax," Ten Hag told reporters ahead of Ajax's Champions League clash with Chelsea. "I can confirm I'm staying at Ajax this season. Bayern is a fantastic club, it is still in my heart, but I'm at Ajax. "I'm not a dreamer. I focus on Ajax and live for today, and tomorrow's game, which is important." Bayern are fourth in the Bundesliga, four points behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach, while unbeaten Ajax are six points clear at the top of the Eredivisie. In the Champions League, Ajax are second in Group H, level on six points with first place Chelsea after three games. "I have a lot of respect for Chelsea but I also trust my players," added Ten Hag. "When they play as a team for 90 minutes we have a chance to win. We will go for it."

Football: Ajax coach Ten Hag will stay despite Bayern links

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