Berlin (AFP)

When Bayern coughs, the Bundesliga regains color.

Leipzig approached Sunday to two points of "Rekordmeister" by winning 3-0 on the lawn of Hertha Berlin, the day after the loss of the Bavarians in Frankfurt (2-1).

This tightening of positions is relaunching a championship that was believed to be played ten days ago, when the reigning champions had a 7-point lead and seemed to be heading straight for a ninth consecutive title.

But with a draw and a loss in their last two games, Bayern squandered their lead.

Hansi Flick's men remain in the lead with 49 points, but are now within shooting range of Leipzig (47 pts).

The Munich residents will travel to Leipzig for the 27th day, Saturday April 3 (6.30 p.m.).

"We weren't expecting Bayern to lose five points in two games," said Marcel Sabitzer, who opened the scoring for the Saxons, "but for us it's about staying present, taking the points , in case the opportunity arises. Now we have made the hole a bit behind us, it's a duel between us and Bayern, but there is no point in talking, you have to be there, week after week " .

The other two qualifying places for the Champions League are firmly held by Wolfsburg and Frankfurt (42 pts), with a mattress of five points ahead of their first pursuer Leverkusen.

- Sabitzer redeems himself -

Julian Nagelsmann's men had visibly digested their disappointing 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League, which leaves them little chance to hope for a qualification on the return to Anfield Road.

Symbol of this resilience, Sabitzer, guilty of a huge blunder which had caused the opening of the score of the Reds on Tuesday, scored a fabulous first goal for the RB.

The Austrian midfielder metronome placed an overpowering strike from thirty meters into the right corner of the goal of Berlin goalkeeper Rune Jarstein, helpless (1-0, 28 ').

The next goal is also a cannonball, but from inside the box: shifted to the right, the Frenchman Nordi Mukiele took back in force a ball lost in a duel by another Frenchman, the Berliner Mattéo Guendouzi (2- 0, 71st).

Willi Orban completed the work by scoring with a header on a Sabitzer cross at the end of the match (3-0, 84 ').

For Hertha, this new defeat makes the situation even worse.

In full collapse, the capital club remains on six defeats and two draws in its last eight matches.

He stagnated in 15th position, but tied on points with the 16th and potential barrage Bielefeld (18 pts).

At the start of the afternoon, Leverkusen snatched a draw (1-1) in added time in Augsburg, to stay in fifth position, five points from fourth qualifying place for the Champions League.

The last match of the evening and of this 22nd day was to oppose at 18:00 the 12th Hoffenheim to the 11th Bremen.

© 2021 AFP