Berlin (AFP)
Beaten 2-1 on Saturday in Frankfurt in the shock of the 22nd Bundesliga matchday despite a goal from Robert Lewandowski, Bayern signed their second consecutive game without a win, and their third defeat in 2021 in all competitions.
Leipzig now has the opportunity to come back to two points on Sunday, if it wins in Berlin on the lawn of Hertha Berlin, currently in the midst of collapse (five defeats and two draws in its last seven matches).
Frankfurt for its part clings to the top-4 qualifier for the Champions League, in fourth position tied on points with 3rd Wolfsburg.
Decimated by Covid-19 (Coman, Müller) and injuries (Gnabry, Tolisso), Bayern had already been forced to draw 3-3 last week by barrage Bielefeld, a month after being eliminated on penalties in the German Cup by a D2 team.
"We had a few hectic days, we are just human beings", pleaded Hansi Flick, visibly affected by the defeat, "at the level of the absentees, it is a little tense at the moment. But the season is long, and when everyone is back, it will go in the right direction. "
- Patches on the typical team -
To meet Frankfurt, the best Bundesliga team for two months (nine wins, two draws in his last 11 matches), the European and world champion coach had to put some patches on his eleven guy.
Niklas Süle, central back by profession, played right side in place of Pavard.
In midfield, Marc Roca was established for the first time this season in the league.
And in front, the former Parisian Choupo-Moting somehow occupied the place of Thomas Müller, behind Robert Lewandowski.
But Frankfurt was not spared either: less than an hour before kick-off, coach Adi Hütter announced the withdrawal of his striker André Silva (18 goals), victim of back pain.
The absence of their spearhead has not paralyzed the people of Frankfurt.
They got into the match well and completely smothered the German champions for a good fifteen minutes.
The reward came very quickly.
Daichi Kamada opened the scoring in the 12th minute, taking from the penalty spot a low cross from Serbian Filip Kostic (1-0).
- Tribute to the victims -
Amin Younes doubled the bet shortly after with a sumptuous shot from the right from the left corner of the area, which stuck in the opposite window, out of reach of Manuel Neuer (2-0, 31st).
Younes, a German player with Lebanese roots, dedicated his goal to the victims of the racist attack in Hanau, whose first anniversary Germany commemorated on Friday.
Nine people of foreign origin had been shot dead by a terrorist linked to the conspiracy movement in this city in the Frankfurt region.
Younes held up a t-shirt bearing the name and face of one of the victims.
Back from the locker room, Hansi Flick's men took control of the match, and Robert Lewandowski scored his 26th goal of the season, pushing back a caviar from Leroy Sané (2-1, 53rd).
The two teams again created great chances, but the score stayed there.
In the other matches of the afternoon, Union Berlin placed just below European places, in 7th place thanks to a narrow 1-0 victory in Freiburg.
Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, slipped to 8th position after a surprising 2-1 home defeat against Mainz.
Bad omen four days before the Champions League first leg against Manchester City, relocated to Budapest (Hungary) due to health restrictions.
© 2021 AFP