Featured Game – Borussia Dortmund 3-2 RB Leipzig

After missing out on securing the Bundesliga title last week as they lost at the hands of Mainz, Bayern München would have been raring to go ahead of their clash with Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, kicking off three hours before that game was the one between Dortmund and Leipzig. In an unusual turn of events, Bayern’s normally closest rivals, Dortmund, would actually hand the championship to the Bavarians before they kicked a ball, if the Black-and-Yellows were able to beat second-placed RB Leipzig. It was not as if the hosts at the Signal Iduna park had little to play for either, as a victory would move Dortmund into the final Champions League spot at least until Eintracht Frankfurt played the next day. Some big results of late have seen Dortmund haul themselves back into the top four race that seemed out of their reach merely a couple of months ago, therefore they were not going to go lightly on their opponents, even if they were the Red Bulls.

The late-season pick-up for Dortmund is arguably a strange one, because they do not seem to have changed anything drastically and their strategy has always remained the same – high-tempo attacking football, but with a tendency to leave themselves exposed at the back. The only major difference which has seen them beat the likes of Wolfsburg and Stuttgart recently, is that they have been more clinical when taking their chances and perhaps a bit of luck at times defensively. It has simply been a case of Dortmund trying to out-score their opposition, but, fortunately for them, they have succeeded on a number of occasions in the stage of the season when it really matters. There were certainly no signs from the off against Leipzig that the tactics were differing as well, and the game begun at a frantic pace that was more than enjoyable for the neutral viewers at least. The improved efficiency in front of goal came to fruition early on, just seven minutes in to be exact, and it was the home captain who provided the killer touch after a clever passage of play. Marco Reus exchanged passes with Thorgan Hazard, whose intuitive backheel flick sent the ball right back into the path of Reus as he entered the box. He controlled well before firing an effort high with his left foot into the roof of the net and the home team took the lead.

Opportunities at both ends followed in the first half, although no glaring misses and Dortmund understandably would have gone into the break the happier of the two sides. However, they would restart the match fielding a different man between the goal posts. Marvin Hitz, who began the match, had to be substituted after sustaining an injury in a collision just before half time, so on came his replacement Roman Bürki. Like Hitz, Bürki is Swiss, and used to be the number-one stopper in Dortmund, however lost his place after a series of errors and shaky performances, therefore his introduction may have aroused a few jitters for the team’s fans, questioning how much of an impact he may have on the second period. However, they would have been relieved to see their side add a second goal regardless. Like the first, it was a sweeping team move that led to Dortmund doubling their advantage, however this time they utilised the left flank and it was young Englishman Jadon Sancho who netted the strike. He placed a calm finish past Peter Gulacsi in the Leipzig goal after cutting back past the sprawling defender and now the situation seemed fairly comfortable. However, you can never can your chickens with Dortmund and their somewhat suspect back line.

With a 2-0 lead at home, most big clubs should be able to batten down the hatches and see out the remainder of the game, but Borussia failed to even achieve the basic act of defending the first corner they faced following their second goal. Emil Forsberg provided the delivery, but it was Lukas Klostermann who was afforded the run on his man in the penalty area and a good leap and accurate glancing header saw him find the far bottom corner to reduce the deficit. The two-goal cushion had not been enjoyed for long and now the visitors had the momentum with their hosts suddenly put on the back foot. Then Leipzig’s surprise inclusion in the starting line-up showed why coach Julian Nagelsmann had chosen to pick him from the off. Hwang Hee-Chan, signed from Austrian sister club RB Salzburg in the summer, provided a different option up front for this game. In previous weeks a range of midfielders had been tasked with leading the line, as target men Sørloth and Poulsen watched from the bench, however Hwang, who is an orthodox striker, brings to the table a bit more of what Timo Werner used to showcase for Leipzig – pace. Perhaps it was the fragility seen in countless games of Dortmund’s rear guard to deal with quick attackers that provoked this switch in tactics, and it was clear that Hwang was no match for experienced centre-half Mats Hummels in a foot race for the equalizing goal. When a through ball was played into his path, the South Korean skipped past Hummels into the box, before cutting back a pass for Dani Olmo. The substitute goalkeeper Bürki tried to close down Hwang, but in doing so left the net unguarded and this presented Olmo with the simple task of stroking the ball home for 2-2.

At this point, with the score line back all square, Bayern were not going to be crowned title winners before they kicked-off against Gladbach and would have still needed a point from that game. However, events in Dortmund were not quite yet at an end. The game entered the final five minutes of normal time and, with both sides knowing what three points would do for their respective causes, both sides sought the elusive winning goal. The difference in the end though, was that the two goals for the away team had stemmed from an inability of the home side to defend, whereas Dortmund’s double had come about due to some slick play that would have left any back line shaking their heads in disarray. Once again, this was the case and Sancho was again the spearhead of the move. With the end of the ninety minutes fast approaching, he carried the ball forward towards the opposing penalty box before playing a pass wide for Raphael Guerreiro. The Portuguese found the by-line before squaring the ball back for teammate, almost mimicking what Hwang and Olmo had done at the other end, and sancho tapped in for a brilliant winner. The home side’s top scorer Erling Haaland was out injured for this one, but he went ecstatic watching on from the vastly empty stands and made his way to the pitch to celebrate with and congratulate fellow forward Sancho after the full-time whistle.

Dortmund may have been celebrating a major step towards returning to the Champions League next campaign, but in München the joy was undoubtedly even greater. After Leipzig’s defeat, Bayern had been confirmed as winners of the 2020/21 Bundesliga season and that meant a ninth straight Meisterschale and what better way to party than with a victory at home to Gladbach. Spirits were high but could they do it?

The Games Keep Coming

Bayern München 6-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach

The Dortmund win at home to Leipzig sealed the Bundesliga title already for Bayern, but they would have still been just as hungry for a resounding win against westerners Gladbach and that is exactly what they got. There is sure to be a celebratory atmosphere for the champions’ final two games, as there was for this one, but that will only be heightened if they replicate the kind of performance that Borussia came up against at the Allianz Arena. With the swagger that being newly crowned once again as winners will give you, München started proceedings on top form and never looked back. They were undoubtedly taken to the highest level by the goal scoring masterclass that Robert Lewandowski executed and began as early as the second minute, as he found the net for his quickest ever goal in German football. Thomas Müller then doubled the hosts’ lead before Lewandowski grabbed his second of the game. This set him up for a hat-trick on the day that Bayern got their ninth straight title, and he got the chance to claim just that a little before half time, however when bearing down on goal he passed to Kingsley Coman in a better position to knock the ball home past Yann Sommer. Nevertheless, the Polish front man would still grab his treble in the second period when Bayern were awarded a spot kick just after the hour mark. He stepped up and with his trademark stuttered style sent Sommer in the opposite direction to his strike for 5-0 and the match ball at the end of the game. More significantly though, the three for the Pole takes him onto a staggering 39 goals for the season – just one off the all-time single season Bundesliga record held by Bayern legend Gerd Müller and Lewandowski has two games left to beat it. The Bavarians were not done at five either in this game and it was Leroy Sané who added a sensational sixth, netting a rare goal with his weaker right foot to put a royal seal on Bayern München’s coronation game. Gladbach looked far too timid to get in the way of any championship festivities, but the six-goal shipping will be easy forgotten from a Borussia perspective as all the attention has to go to the brilliant team that is Bayern.

Rest of the Round-Up

Stuttgart 2-1 Augsburg

After seeming odds-on for a comfortable mid-table finish, a string of dire performances has seen Augsburg hauled into the relegation mire. Even a switch of managers could do nothing to stop the rot, as Markus Weinzierl came in for the departed Heiko Herrlich. However, Stuttgart’s second half winner summed up the problems that exist for Augsburg, as the man who has the most headed goals in the league this season, the 2m tall Sasa Kalajdzic, was allowed a free nod at the target to sink the away side.

Werder Bremen 0-0 Bayer Leverkusen

A poor game with very little goal-mouth action that will do neither team any good. Werder now only have their superior goal difference to thank for keeping them above Arminia who sit in the relegation play-off spot, the spot where Bremen actually ended up last campaign. For Leverkusen, a solitary point has extinguished what were slim hopes of getting into the top four and they would have only been pleased that Gladbach did not make ground in the race for the Europa League after their trouncing at the hands of the champions.

Wolfsburg 3-0 Union Berlin

Union were also unable to capitalise on Bayer’s failure to beat Bremen. It was the single change to the Wolves’ starting line-up that made the major impact, as Croatian Josip Brekalo came in and scored his first career hat-trick, doubling his season’s tally in a single game.

Hoffenheim 4-2 Schalke

After beating Hoffenheim 4-0 back in January to end the second-longest winless streak in Bundesliga history, Schalke may have had high hopes of giving their fans finally something to cheer again when they visited the Pre-Zero Arena and even more so when they found themselves 2-0 up at the break. However, a second half calamity saw them ship four goals with all of the first three coming from set-pieces, one of Schalke’s many weak spots defensively this campaign.

Köln 1-4 Freiburg

The final score does not reflect what was a tight game, with Freiburg just edging the opening period and Köln the majority of the second. However, as the match entered injury time and as the hosts pushed forward even more in search of a vital point in their survival bid, Freiburg hit them not once but twice on the break as Grifo and Schmid both netted late goals.

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Mainz

In-form Mainz continue their unbeaten run as they all but confirm their spot in the Bundesliga next campaign. At the same time though, they have had a big impact at the other end of the table, taking points off Champions League-chasing Eintracht, who needed a peculiar late equalizer from Australian substitute Hrustic to salvage a draw.

Hertha Berlin 0-0 Arminia Bielefeld

The Olympiastadion may be one of the most impressive footballing venues in all of Europe, but the stadium’s occupants Hertha are still lodged in the relegation battle that will go down to the wire. A point from this score draw will do neither side any good in the quest for safety, but in truth the game was not uneventful and if either attack had been wearing their shooting boots, the outcome could have been very different.

A Few Words On…Jadon Sancho

Haaland, Reyna, Bellingham, Knauff, Moukoko and last but not least Sancho. The list of young talent that Borussia Dortmund possess is a credit to their scouting network and youth system, but after snatching Jadon Sancho from Man City’s academy for a mere £7m, the signing of the English winger has to top the lot. He has shown an astounding development since joining the German side, progressing from the teenage prospect who was part of the 2017 under-17 World Cup winning side with England, to now being a fully-fledged senior international and regular scorer and provider of big goals for his club side too as he demonstrated at the weekend. His brace against Leipzig epitomised what an all-rounded attacker he has become, firstly with a cool and composed finish early in the second half, before he started and then put away a sweeping move for the late Dortmund winner in such a crucial game as they hunt down a top four place. With partner in crime Erling Haaland looking to come back to feature next matchday after injury, Dortmund’s two main attacking starlets could have a major say in how the team ends the campaign.

What to Look Forward to Next Matchday

Schalke vs. Hertha Berlin

Already relegated Schalke could have a big impact on the fate of the teams around them at the bottom, as they host Hertha in their final game in hand on Wednesday. A Berlin win is expected, but even against the league’s main strugglers nothing is certain, especially when the stakes are this high.