Bayern blank Gladbach in Mueller’s final home game, Leipzig held

Champions Bayern Munich eased past Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday as club icon Thomas Mueller bid farewell in his final home game after 25 years at the club.

The 35-year-old Mueller, who came through the Bayern youth ranks to win dozens of titles including a record 13 league crowns and two Champions League trophies, was the focus even before the start.

He enjoyed a brief farewell ceremony with club bosses, complete with flowers and a picture of him and all the trophies, ahead of his 750th game for Bayern in all competitions.

But it was Gladbach who were in control at the start and in more of an attacking mood.

Bayern, who secured their 34th German league title last week, struck against the run of play when Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane’s header slightly deflected Michael Olise’s shot in the 31st minute for the England captain’s 25th league goal.

Kane is on track to become the first player in Bundesliga history to win the top scorer title in both of his first two campaigns, with one game left to play in the season.

Bayern eased up after the break and would have paid the price but for Manuel Neuer’s successful comeback from injury with a string of saves. Olise made sure of the win in the 90th minute, shortly after Mueller came off to a standing ovation.

RB Leipzig’s top-four hopes were dashed with a goalless draw at Werder Bremen on Saturday as Holstein Kiel and Bochum were relegated from the Bundesliga after both fell to home defeats.

Leipzig had only missed the Champions League once in eight seasons since their debut promotion in 2017 but struggled against a Bremen side pushing for a return to Europe after a 15-year absence.

Leipzig’s Xavi Simons went closest to scoring, hitting the post with 68 minutes gone and forcing a save from goalie Michael Zetterer two minutes later.

“It’s extremely disappointing,” Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner said.

“It’s matchday 33 and we didn’t make it. There’s no point sugarcoating it -- we don’t deserve the Champions League.”

The result means Jurgen Klopp, the new football chief at owners Red Bull, will oversee his first off-season without the promise of the Champions League.

Leipzig need to beat Stuttgart in their final match to have any hope of reaching the Europa League, while Bremen’s European hopes are now purely mathematical given their poor goal difference.

Heidenheim’s 3-0 win at Union Berlin on Saturday, thanks to a brace from Adrian Beck and a Jan Schoeppner goal, secured at least the relegation play-off spot for the 16th-placed side.

Kiel, promoted to the top flight for the first time this season, needed to win to keep their hopes alive and scored first but conceded twice to go down 2-1 against Freiburg. Lasse Rosenboom’s counter-attacking opener was cancelled out by a Johan Manzambi equaliser just before half-time.

Lucas Hoeler replaced Manzambi at half-time and scored early in the second period, heading in from close range to give Freiburg the lead.

The victory puts Freiburg in pole position to play Champions League for the first time next season.

Freiburg sit four points clear of Borussia Dortmund, who have two games to play.

Bochum’s four-year stint in the Bundesliga came to an end after a 4-1 loss to Mainz, who scored through Germany duo Nadiem Amiri and Jonathan Burkardt, along with Phillipp Mwene and Paul Nebel.

Bochum, who had just two points in December but kept their hopes alive with a run of good results including wins over Bayern Munich and Dortmund, picked up just two points from their last eight games.

Later on Saturday, champions Bayern will be presented with the Bundesliga shield after their home match against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Bayern officially won the title, their 34th, when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg last Sunday.

Leverkusen host Dortmund on Sunday in coach Xabi Alonso’s last home game with the club.

Agencies