Bayern Munich grabbed another Bundesliga title on Sunday by relieving to a 4-2 win over Stuttgart. Harry Kane scored his 32nd league goal of the season after coming on as a second-half substitute and Bayern should have scored more against Stuttgart’s overwhelming defence.
The victory gave Bayern a 15-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund with four rounds remaining in the Bundesliga. Bayern needed only a point to be sure of the title afterwards Dortmund defeat Hoffenheim the day before.
It is Bayern’s record extension 35th German Championship including the first for the club in 1932. Every other title came after the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963.
Stuttgart Chris Führich had shocked the home team in the 21st minute, but Bayern Raphaël Guerreiro, Nicolas Jackson and Alphonso Davies responded by scoring six minutes into the first half.
Spanish player Chema scored a spectacular second goal for Stuttgart in the 88th minute.
Restrained celebrations
Bayern’s players lined up in front of the fans, but there was none of the traditional beer showers that usually accompany league victories.
The Bundesliga is just the first of a potential treble for Bayern this season. Bavaria faces us Bayer Leverkusen away for his own German Cup semi-final on Wednesday, and then it’s a two-legged affair Champions League semi-finals tie against champion Paris Saint-Germain.
The atmosphere was calm at the start of the game. There were reports of clashes between Bayern and Stuttgart fans before the match which caused some to miss it.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany made eight changes to the side that started against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Manuel Neuer, Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano and Aleksandar Pavlovi on the bench.
Serge Gnabry was out due to a thigh injury he suffered during training the day before. “Very unlucky, to shoot a penalty or something,” said Kompany.
The 23-year-old Jamal Musiala became the second youngest Bayern player to reach 150 consecutive Bundesliga appearances Uli Hoeneßwhich was 11 days younger, according to the statistics provider Opta.
Musiala beat two defenders on the left before crossing for Guerreiro in the 31st. Luis Diaz Nicolas Jackson unselfishly set up Bayern’s second goal after a mistake by Finn Jeltsch left three attackers facing one Stuttgart defender. Alphonso Davies scored with a set shot four minutes later. Kompany took off Musiala and Díaz at the break for Olise and Kane.
Kane’s goal – his 51st of the season in all competitions for Bayern – extended the club’s Bundesliga goalscoring record in a season to 109. The previous record, set by Bayern’s 1971-72 side with Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müllerwas 101 marks.
“It’s very special,” midfielder Joshua Kimmich said. “I mean, especially this season, it’s a very, very good season in the Bundesliga, including today’s game. It’s not a given that you come here after the games against Madrid and then play a game like this.”