Tag: Bundesliga

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Lewandowski and Bayern still Poles apart as Barca eye swoop

Robert Lewandowski has been the Bundesliga’s top scorer for five seasons in a row — but German rearguards may soon be set for some respite. 

Barcelona are reportedly ready to make a move for the Bayern Munich star this summer, with contract negotiations in Bavaria reaching an impasse. 

Ahead of Poland’s clash with Wales this evening, we consider whether Bayern’s No9 will be heading to the Camp Nou in the coming months.

There is no doubt that the loss of Lewandowski would be a devastating blow for German champions Bayern. 

The 33-year-old striker has been a figurehead for Die Roten since his switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2014 — breaking records galore during his time at the Allianz Arena. 

He hit the ground running upon arrival, netting the fastest ever five-goal haul in Bundesliga history during a nine-minute demolition of Wolfsburg in 2015. 

And Lewandowski has not stopped scoring since, winning eight consecutive league titles, three DFB-Pokals and a Champions League. 

The talisman has also become the second most prolific marksman in Bundesliga history with 312 goals, behind only Gerd Muller (365). Yet, uncertainty looms over whether he will surpass the legendary German’s total.

With just a year remaining on Lewandowski’s current deal, speculation of an exit has dominated proceedings in Bavaria this term. 

Running down a contract is certainly in the striker’s playbook — that is how he sealed a free transfer to Bayern eight years ago. 

Murmurs of a move away from Munich emerged after Die Roten’s hierarchy reportedly refused to match Lewandowski’s demands. 

The German champions typically only give players over the age of 30 a one-year contract — but the Pole is believed to want a two-year deal. 

He is also already FCB’s highest earner and officials are said to feel that a salary increase would impact the club’s wage structure.

Reports last month suggested that Lewandowski’s next destination is most likely to be Barcelona after he demanded an exit this summer rather than waiting to become a free agent in 2023.

Manager Xavi has made it clear to the Blaugrana board that he would like to sign a striker in the upcoming window as his side bid to dethrone rivals Real Madrid in LaLiga. 

Barca have already missed out on one forward from Germany after Erling Haaland secured a move to England with Manchester City. 

And despite the Catalan outfit’s well-documented monetary issues, it is believed that they will still be able to pay high salaries.

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BUNDESLIGA: HAALAND SCORES ON FINAL APPEARANCE FOR BORRUSIA DORTMUND

Erling Haaland scored a penalty on his final appearance for Borussia Dortmund in a 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin, who face a play-off to stay in the Bundesliga.

The visitors took the lead at Signal Iduna Park through a spot-kick from Ishak Belfodil in the 18th minute.

Haaland – set to head to the Premier League next season after Manchester City triggered his £51.1million release clause – had Dortmund level from a penalty with 20 minutes left.

Jude Bellingham then played in Youssoufa Moukoko to slot home from a tight angle in the 84th minute – which coupled with a late winner for Stuttgart sent Felix Magath’s side into the relegation play-offs.

Stuttgart had started the day in 16th place and looked set to stay there after Anthony Modeste had headed in equaliser for Cologne on the hour to cancel out Sasa Kalajdzic’s early opener.

However, in stoppage time, Wataru Endo nodded in a from a corner to spark pandemonium around the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

RB Leipzig secured fourth spot and with it a place in the Champions League after a late goal from defender Willi Orban salvaged a 1-1 draw at relegated Arminia Bielefeld.

Janni Serra had bundled the home side in front with 20 minutes left, which had looked enough to sign off from the top flight with a win – only for Orban to nod home a stoppage-time equaliser from a free-kick.

Robert Lewandowski, who has been linked with a summer move away, took his Bundesliga goal tally to 35 as champions Bayern Munich ended the campaign with a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg – where they had been 2-0 up at half-time.

Union Berlin beat Bochum 3-2, with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring twice, to finish in fifth place, a point behind Leipzig, and go into the Europa League.

A last-minute goal from Exequiel Palacios saw third-placed Bayer Leverkusen end the campaign with a 2-1 home win over Freiburg, who finish sixth.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored twice as Mainz held Europa League finalists Eintracht Frankfurt to a 2-2 draw, while bottom club Greuther Furth went down 2-1 at Augsburg, where Michael Gregoritsch struck a late winner.

Jonas Hofmann grabbed a brace to help Borussia Monchengladbach come from behind to sweep aside Hoffenheim 5-1.

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Gnabry hat-trick sends leaders nine points clear

Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick and laid on a double for Robert Lewandowski as Bayern Munich moved nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with a 5-0 thrashing of Stuttgart.

Gnabry, making his first start for almost a month, opened the scoring in the first half and clinically doubled the champions’ lead after the break behind closed doors at Mercedes-Benz Arena on Tuesday.

The outstanding Gnabry then set Lewandowski up twice and completed his treble as the leaders ran riot in Julian Nagelsmann’s 200th Bundesliga match as coach, scoring three times in the space of five second-half minutes.

Bayern lost Kingsley Coman to an apparent hamstring injury, but cruised to a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Gnabry was a livewire from the start and he flashed an early shot across the face of the Stuttgart goal before Lewandowski fired straight at goalkeeper Florian Muller.

Omar Marmoush dragged a tame strike wide against the run of play before Gnabry put the champions in front, finding the back of the net with a classy first-time right-foot finish after Leroy Sane – on for the injured Coman – set him up five minutes before the break.

Stuttgart showed plenty of endeavour following the interval but Gnabry struck again in the 53rd minute, taking a pass from Thomas Muller and beating Marc Oliver Kempf before calmly slotting home with his left foot.

Gnabry then turned provider, picking out Lewandowski with a superb pass which the striker controlled on his chest and raced into the box before nonchalantly lifting the ball over the advancing Stuttgart keeper and into the net.

The same pair combined again as Lewandowski was on hand to slot home inside the six-yard box from a Gnabry cross.

Gnabry then capped a brilliant performance by tucking in from close range after the busy Florian Muller could only palm into his path with 16 minutes to go.

Bayern blew Stuttgart away in devastating fashion as they increased their lead at the summit ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund’s clash with bottom side Greuther Furth on Wednesday.

They have now scored 98 away goals against Stuttgart, setting a record for the competition that Borussia Monchengladbach previously held with 96 against Cologne.

Nagelsmann will also be delighted with an elusive first away clean sheet in 11 Bundesliga matches.

After being made to wait for a start following a spell in quarantine, Gnabry ought to get a run in the side after this outstanding performance.

The 26-year-old’s treble came despite an expected goals figure of 2.23 and he showed great awareness to twice set up Lewandowski.

Lethal Lewandowski

Poland captain Lewandowski now has astonishing 29 goals for the season in all competitions before the turn of the year.

He scored a hat-trick when Bayern thumped Stuttgart in their last meeting in March and could easily have had another.

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Julian Nagelsmann lauds ‘outstanding’ Gnabry after five-star display at Stuttgart

Julian Nagelsmann hailed the “outstanding” Serge Gnabry after he scored a hat-trick in Bayern Munich’s 5-0 thrashing of Stuttgart.

Gnabry marked his first start for almost a month with a superb display, helping himself to a treble and laying on the other two goals for Robert Lewandowski in the city where he was born.

The Germany forward gave Bayern a 1-0 half-time lead and they ran riot after the break, scoring three times in the space of five minutes behind closed doors at Mercedes-Benz Arena on Tuesday.

Gnabry was directly involved in five goals in a competitive match for only the second time in his career, with the only previous instance coming in the 7-2 win at Tottenham in October 2019 – when he scored four and provided one assist

Victory in Julian Nagelsmann’s 200th Bundesliga match as a head coach put the champions nine points clear at the top of the table.

Nagelsmann lauded Gnabry, who has had to bide his time to force his way back into the team after a spell in quarantine and has also been hampered by an injury.

The Bayern head coach said: “He is an outstanding player who is currently struggling with his back and therefore maybe gets a tad less minutes than he deserves.

“He did very, very well today.”

It was another devastating performance from the Bavarian giants, but there was concern when they lost Kingsley Coman to an injury in the first half

Nagelsmann said of the France winger: “We don’t have an exact diagnosis for him yet. It’s a muscular issue. We’re hoping that it’s nothing serious.”

Lewandowski’s double took him level with the great Gerd Muller on a record 41 goals in a calendar year in the German top flight.

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BUNDESLIGA: ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI ON TARGET AS BAYERN MUNICH THRASH HOFFENHIEM

Robert Lewandowski took his Bundesliga goal tally into double figures as leaders Bayern Munich coasted to a comfortable 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.

Bayern, with manager Julian Nagelsmann absent through illness, were in front after just 16 minutes through Serge Gnabry, who had already seen an earlier effort chalked off for a foul.

Poland frontman Lewandowski then fired in his 10th league goal with a fine 20-yard effort on the half-hour.

With eight minutes left, substitute Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting turned in a third following a corner. Corentin Tolisso’s goal was ruled out before Kingsley Coman wrapped things up late on.

Bayern remain a point clear of Borussia Dortmund, who won 3-1 at Arminia Bielefeld.

Emre Can put the visitors, missing injured forward Erling Haaland, ahead with a 31st-minute penalty and defender Mats Hummels added a second with a fine volley just before the break.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham scored a well-taken individual effort, finished by a sublime chip, with 18 minutes left. Arminia substitute Fabian Klos scored a late consolation from the spot.

RB Leipzig came from behind to beat bottom club Greuther Furth 4-1.

Branimir Hrgota put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot just before half-time, only for substitute Yussuf Poulsen to equalise shortly after the restart.

Emil Forsberg slotted in a 53rd-minute penalty, with Dominik Szoboszlai and 18-year-old substitute Hugo Novoa also on the scoresheet.

Freiburg won 2-0 at Wolfsburg with goals from Philipp Lienhart (27) and Lucas Holer (68) to move up to third while Marco Richter’s goal gave Hertha Berlin a 1-0 home win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

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LEWANDOWSKI, GNABRY ON THE DOUBLE AS BAYERN MUNICH HAMMER LEVERKUSEN

Bayern Munich thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 on Sunday as Julian Nagelsmann’s side ran riot and silenced a stunned BayArena, scoring five goals by half time to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga from Borussia Dortmund.

A brace each from Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry moved Bayern up to 19 points, one point ahead of Dortmund while Leverkusen remain third with 16.

Bayern took the lead with just three minutes on the clock from a set piece when an unmarked Dayot Upamecano crossed the ball into the six-yard box where Lewandowski scored with a neat back-heeled flick.

Lewandowski made it 2-0 at the half-hour mark when a Bayern counter-attack allowed left back Alphonso Davies to dribble his way into the box towards the Polish striker, who simply stuck a leg out to tap the ball into the net.

Bayern then scored three goals in three minutes with Thomas Mueller scoring from point blank range before Gnabry scored twice, benefiting from a Mueller assist and then a lay off from Leon Goretzka as Leverkusen failed to deal with the press.

Manuel Neuer kept Leverkusen at bay with some fine saves but he was finally beaten 10 minutes after the restart when Patrik Schick was released down the right channel by Florian Wirtz and the Czech forward fired a shot that went in off the post.

Leverkusen substitute Lucas Alario had the ball in the net in the dying stages but the goal was ruled out for offside.

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BUNDESLIGA: FRANKFURT CLINCH FIRST WIN AT BAYERN IN 21 YEARS

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic drilled home an 83rd minute goal to stun Bayern Munich and snatch a 2-1 Bundesliga win on Sunday, earning a first league victory at Bayern in 21 years and snapping the hosts’ nine-game winning run in all competitions.

Kostic picked up the ball on the edge of the box, charged forward and beat keeper Manuel Neuer with a powerful low drive in the 83rd minute to seal Eintracht’s first win of the season.

The Bavarians remain top of the table with 16 points from seven games despite their first defeat, one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg in second and third respectively.

“Defeats always hurt,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “Today that was the case as well. Firstly because it was our first defeat and secondly because it was completely avoidable.

“We did not do some things right just like we had done in the past weeks. The opponents before did not take advantage of it but today we were punished.

“We had a lot of chances to score our own goals.”

The home side took the lead when Leon Goretzka benefited from a Martin Hinteregger mistake to score in the 29th minute.

The Austrian defender quickly made amends by powering a header into the net for the equaliser three minutes later.

Both teams each had a chance to take the lead before the break with Eintracht’s Almamy Toure forcing a superb save from Neuer in the 43rd minute and Bayern’s Serge Gnabry hitting the post from close range a minute later.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp was kept busy in the second half, repeatedly denying Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Robert Lewandowski as the hosts pushed forward in search of the winner.

Yet it was Eintracht who scored what proved to be the winner against the run of play through Kostic before Trapp made another key save in stoppage time to palm a Goretzka shot wide.

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HAALAND HITS BRACE AS DORTMUND THRASH UNION BERLIN

Erling Haaland scored twice, including a spectacular lob, to guide Borussia Dortmund to a 4-2 victory over Union Berlin on Sunday which lifted them to second in the Bundesliga.

Norwegian Haaland has now scored seven times in the league this season while taking his total tally to an impressive 68 goals in 67 games in all competitions for Dortmund.

The visitors had the first good chance in the first minute but Dortmund quickly took control with Raphael Guerreiro firing them in front after a lightning-quick passing move that left the Union defence frozen in the 10th minute.

With Dortmund’s Donyell Malen wreaking havoc with his speed down the wing, it was only a matter of time until they added to their score line. But it was Union who did it for them when defender Marvin Friedrich’s clumsy clearance of a Marco Reus cutback landed in his own net in the 52nd.

“We made it today again unnecessarily difficult for us,” said Dortmund captain Reus. “We are 3-0 up, concede a silly goal then one from a set piece. The fourth or fifth time this season.

“You invest an enormous amount and we just can’t gift away goals like that. We have to quickly start working on that. But we are happy to have won the game.”

Max Kruse’s penalty five minutes later cut the deficit and Andreas Voglsammer’s 81st minute header gave Union hope briefly before Haaland latched onto a deep Mat Hummels cross, saw keeper Andreas Luthe off his line and lobbed the ball high over him to restore order with a remarkable finish.

Dortmund’s third league win in a row lifted them to 12 points, one behind Bayern Munich. The leaders thrashed VfL Bochum 7-0 on Saturday.

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Another record for Robert Lewandowski as Bayern wins

Robert Lewandowski has scored a hat trick and set a new Bayern Munich record for scoring in consecutive games after leading the team to a 5-0 rout of Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga.

Robert Lewandowski grabbed a hat trick and set a Bayern Munich record for scoring in consecutive games as he led the team to a 5-0 rout of Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Lewandowski’s latest goals ensured he has scored in every game for the last 16 matches across all competitions for Bayern, going back to a 3-3 draw with Arminia Bielefeld on Feb. 15.

Former West Germany great Gerd Muller, who died on Aug. 15 at age 75, had a 15-game scoring run for Bayern in 1969-70.

Lewandowski broke Muller’s old Bundesliga record by scoring 41 goals last season. He already has five goals from three games this season.

Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann dropped misfiring winger Leroy Sane to the substitutes’ bench and started with the 18-year-old Jamal Musiala in his place. Sane was whistled by Bayern fans for a poor performance against Cologne last weekend.

The defending champions didn’t need long to get off the mark against Hertha. Lewandowski allowed Alphonso Davies’ cross through for the better-placed Thomas Muller to open the scoring in the sixth minute with a low shot inside the far post. Serge Gnabry and Musiala were also involved in what was a fine team move.

The home fans had to wait half an hour for the next goal, headed in by Lewandowski from close range at the second attempt after his first attempt from Gnabry’s cross hit the crossbar. The Poland star out-jumped two Hertha defenders to reach the rebound.

Hertha captain Dedryck Boyata made a crucial clearance as the home team threatened to run riot before halftime.

But Bayern resumed after the break, when Musiala showed why he was given a starting spot by cutting inside and dispatching the ball inside the far post after Muller had won the ball from Deyovaisio Zeefuik.

Musiala – already a German international – got an ovation from Bayern fans when he went off for Sane in the 61st.

Sane made his case by cutting inside past two Hertha defenders, playing a one-two, and then setting up Lewandowski’s second goal in the 70th. The Poland star completed his hat trick in the 84th.

WIRTZ’S WALTZ

Florian Wirtz celebrated his Germany recall by leading Bayer Leverkusen to a 4-1 win at Augsburg, keeping the visitors’ good form under new coach Gerardo Seoane.

The 18-year-old Wirtz was called up by new Germany coach Hansi Flick on Friday for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Lichtenstein, Armenia and Iceland.

Leverkusen, which routed Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend, got off to a great start when Augsburg’s Brazilian defender Iago chipped the ball over his own goalkeeper and into the net in the third minute.

Augsburg forward Florian Niederlechner added another own-goal in the 14th when he tried to stop Kerem Demirbay’s shot.

Niederlechner atoned by scoring in the 30th, profiting from a mix-up between Leverkusen defender Mitchel Bakker and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby had a goal ruled out through VAR for a hand ball by Charles Aranguiz in the buildup.

Augsburg was pushing for an equalizer when Seoane reacted by bringing on Wirtz and Robert Andrich in the 65th. Wirtz made an immediate impact, setting up Patrik Schick in the 75th, then scoring himself in the 81st.

Freiburg held on for a 3-2 win in Stuttgart, which trailed 3-0 in the first half but couldn’t find any more goals in the second.

Cologne enjoyed a 2-1 win over promoted Bochum, Mainz beat promoted Greuther Fuerth 3-0 and Eintracht Frankfurt was held 1-1 at Arminia Bielefeld.

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Bayern Munich rule out summer exit for Robert Lewandowski

Bayern Munich are allegedly not prepared to sell Robert Lewandowski during this summer’s transfer window.

The 32-year-old still has two years left to run on his contract at Allianz Arena, but it has been claimed that he is keen to leave Bayern in search of a new challenge.

A recent report claimed that Lewandowski wants to join ‘another top European club’ before the end of his career, which led to suggestions that the Poland international could be on the move in the near future

However, according to Goal, Bayern will not consider selling the experienced forward, who was linked with Chelsea earlier this summer, under any circumstances.

The report claims that Lewandowski is aware of the German club’s position and will not actively attempt to force a move away despite being keen on the idea of a new challenge.

The 122-time Poland international has scored 297 goals and registered 65 assists in 331 appearances for Bayern since making the move from Borussia Dortmund in July 2014.

The Bundesliga giants are expected to be in the race for Erling Braut Haaland next summer, when a release clause in the Dortmund forward’s contract will become active