Berlin (AFP)
Bad times for Bayern pursuers!
After Leverkusen beaten on Friday, Dortmund and Leipzig conceded draws on Saturday in Matchday 16 of the Bundesliga, giving Munich a avenue to escape alone at the top of the standings on Sunday.
Before receiving Freiburg, the "Rekordmeister" leads with 33 points.
Leipzig (32 pts), Leverkusen and Dortmund (both 29 pts) follow in that order.
Leipzig, the team with the best resistance against the Bavarians so far, was hung 2-2 at Wolfsburg, excellent sixth.
Dortmund returned to 1-1 after being trailed at home by the second-to-last Mainz.
Leverkusen, still third, was beaten 1-0 by Union Berlin on Friday night.
Bayern just has to win Sunday (3:30 p.m.) at home against Friborg to win the honorary title of winter champion, since the next day (17th) will be the last of the first leg.
- Leipzig is marking time -
Beaten last week at home by Dortmund (3-1), RB Leipzig does not have to be ashamed of a draw in Wolfsburg, one of the teams in the form of the first part of the championship.
But this small point scored in two matches may cost him dearly in his fight with Bayern.
Remarkably entered the match, with 20 perfect first minutes, the RB took the entry advantage by the French Nordi Mukiele (1-0, 5th).
But faced with an enthusiastic and committed team, the Saxons logically gave in twice before the break: Wout Weghorst scored for Wolfsburg his 11th goal of the season (1-1, 22nd) with a superb diving header and Renato Steffen gave the advantage to the "Wolves" in the 35th minute (2-1).
The central back of RB Willi Orban saved the point of the draw by taking back on the line a ball repelled by the goalkeeper of Wolfsburg after a shot from Malian Amadou Haidara (1-1, 54th).
- Dortmund: new coach, old problems -
A week after their show of strength in Leipzig, Dortmund were unable to beat the penultimate of the Mainz standings.
The dismissal of coach Lucien Favre in mid-December and the arrival on the bench of Edin Terzic has not therefore cured Borussia of the evil that has been eating away at him for months: inconstancy.
The Borussens were well into the game, however, with a goal from Erling Haaland in the 4th minute.
But the VAR revealed a millimeter offside from Thomas Meunier at the start of the action and the goal was denied.
Dortmund then multiplied the opportunities.
Brandt (22nd) then Reus (26th) notably stumbled on goalkeeper Robin Zentner and Bellingham touched the post (30th), before Mainz opened the scoring completely against the course of the game, by Levin Öztunali (1-0, 57e).
Meunier equalized (1-1, 73rd), but captain Marco Reus then took a penalty next to the cage (76th), further proof if necessary of the mental fragility of Borussia.
Dortmund even trembled at the end of the match on a few blocks well led by Mainz.
"We had the opportunities to win, we had hoped for better," admitted Terzic, "compliments to Mainz who defended in a very disciplined manner. We still have to work to prepare for our trip to Leverkusen on Tuesday".
A copy-pasted sentence of those pronounced by Lucien Favre on the evenings of poor results.
© 2021 AFP