Berlin (AFP)

We do not provoke the almighty Bayern with impunity.

Mainz, who led 2-0 at the break in Munich against the "Rekordmeister", learned this the hard way on Sunday by conceding 5 goals in the second half, including two from Robert Lewandowski.

After 14 days of the Bundesliga, the champions of Germany and Europe are two points ahead of Leipzig, winner 1-0 in Stuttgart on Saturday, five over Leverkusen and eight over Dortmund, back in the top-4 qualifier for the League champions thanks to his 2-0 victory on Sunday against Wolfsburg.

Although they dominate their championship, Bayern are setting a curious record: it was, against Mainz, the 8th consecutive time that they conceded the first goal and found themselves behind.

We have to admit that Manuel Neuer's teammates have always done well, with three draws and five wins in the end.

Faced with slightly absent Munichers, Jonathan Burkardt (1-0, 32nd) and Alexander Hack (2-0, 44th) struck twice for Mainz, penultimate in the standings and relegation.

And it took two exceptional stops by Manuel Neuer to avoid a sinking.

At the break, Hansi Flick, the coach of the European champions, did not take half measures.

He left half of his defense in the locker room, Benjamin Pavard and Jérôme Boateng, replaced by Leon Goretzka and Niklas Süle.

And the equalizer came quickly, as a symbol, by Joshua Kimmich (1-2, 56th), the man who best embodies the warrior spirit of Bayern, and who is never as precious as when his team is in bad shape.

“In the first half we weren't good, not only in the game but also mentally,” Kimmich admitted, “in the second half we came back with a completely different mindset. But we have to admit that we had lucky they didn't score a third goal. "

Other symbol?

Leroy Sané, hard cropped by its leaders in December for its lack of involvement, equalized with a superb goal from 20 meters, a shot rolled out of reach of the goalkeeper (2-2, 50th).

Süle, off the bench, overturned the score definitively with a very pure cushioning-volley in the area (3-2, 70th).

Lewandowski then scored twice, first on a penalty (4-2, 76th) then a volley (5-2, 83rd), his 18th and 19th goals in 14 days, which come to underline that he does not has lost none of the form that earned him the title of Fifa player of the year, ahead of Messi and Ronaldo.

- Dortmund redeems itself -

In the other game of the afternoon, Dortmund ended a three-game losing streak at home and regained the Top 4 by beating Wolfsburg 2-0, thanks to goals from Manuel Akanji (1-0, 66th ) and Jadon Sancho (2-0, 90 + 1).

In bad shape this fall, until the dismissal of its coach Lucien Favre in mid-December, Borussia hoped to record the return of its prodigy striker Erling Haaland, absent in December to treat a muscle tear.

Of the four games played without the 20-year-old Norwegian, the team had won only one, and scored just five goals.

Before his injury, Haaland had scored 17 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions.

But after a month of hiatus, Haaland was clearly short of competition, and left the pitch visibly frustrated with ten minutes remaining without opening his counter for 2021.

Wolfsburg's "Wolves" were on a par with BVB, with both sides having opportunities to break.

But it was ultimately the Swiss international center-back Manuel Akanji who unblocked the situation by victoriously taking a header corner (66th).

Wolfsburg, who had lost only one game this season, in Munich against the untouchable Bayern, never gave up.

In the final rush, however, the visitors uncovered themselves, and Sancho, who went against, killed the suspense in added time (90th + 1).

© 2021 AFP