Thomas Tuchel acknowledged that Bayern Munich will concede their Bundesliga title following a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Bayer Leverkusen, the clear leaders in the league standings, demonstrated their customary resilience by staging a late comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Hoffenheim earlier in the day. Aware of this outcome, Bayern, with Harry Kane returning from an ankle injury to spearhead their attack, understood that only a victory against their arch-rivals would suffice.
However, Karim Adeyemi swiftly opened the scoring for Dortmund just 10 minutes into the match, while Julian Ryerson extended the visitors’ lead with a goal seven minutes before the final whistle, marking Dortmund’s first victory at the Allianz Arena in nearly a decade.
Despite Kane managing to score a late header, which was subsequently disallowed for offside following a Video Assistant Referee review, Bayern experienced only their second home defeat in the league this season.
Consequently, Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen now hold a commanding 13-point lead with seven matches remaining, requiring just three more wins to clinch the German championship for the first time in the club’s history.
When asked about the status of the title race, Tuchel stated to Sky Germany, “Obviously, yes. After this game, there is no longer a need to tally points. How many points is it now? Congratulations to Leverkusen.”
How Dortmund saw off Bayern to record rare Allianz victory
The home team received a significant boost with the return of Kane, who boasted 31 Bundesliga goals prior to the match. However, they faced the absence of experienced German international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer due to injury. Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, commenced the game for Dortmund.
Nevertheless, it was the visiting team that took an early advantage, capitalizing on Bayern’s loss of possession in midfield. This allowed Julian Brandt to set up Adeyemi, who scored from a challenging angle, beating Bayern’s second-choice goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
Despite Bayern having opportunities to equalize, Kane struggled to find his usual form in front of goal. This included missing a clear chance from Joshua Kimmich’s well-placed cross.
Throughout the second half, the home team maintained pressure, enjoying dominance in possession and territory. However, their efforts were thwarted by Meyer, the opposing goalkeeper, who was rarely called upon to make saves. Conversely, the visitors appeared more threatening on the counterattack.
Ryerson ultimately secured the victory for the visiting team with a precise finish into the bottom corner. Despite Kane’s late headed attempt seemingly providing a consolation goal, VAR intervention nullified it. Consequently, Leverkusen now requires eight additional points at most to secure the title.
Should Bayern win their upcoming three matches, Leverkusen could clinch the title with a victory against Borussia Dortmund on April 21, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.