Led 2-0 until the 71st minute, thanks to a brace from the Colombian from Frankfurt Rafael Borré, Borussia first returned to 2-1 (Thorgan Hazard), before switching the match in three minutes at the very end game, by Jude Bellingham (2-2, 87th) then Mo Daoud (3-2, 89th).

The Ruhr players thus take advantage of Bayern's misstep, undermined by the Covid (nine infected players), defeated Friday night at home by Mönchengladbach (2-1).

Behind, the other winner of the day is Hoffenheim, moved from fifth to third place thanks to a 3-1 victory against Augsburg, with a brace from Togolese Ihlas Bebou.

Freiburg, who conceded a draw at home against Bielefeld (2-2), clings to fourth place, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League.

Leipzig wakes up

Good deal also for Leipzig, who returned to victory by outclassing Mainz 4-1.

The RB, author of its worst start to the season since its accession to the first division in 2016, is trying to revive with its new coach Domenico Tedesco, who took over from Jesse Marsch, sacked in December.

Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku against Arminia Bielefeld, December 18, 2021 in Leipzig Ronny HARTMANN AFP / Archives

Tedesco started with a win, a draw and then a loss in December.

Will the Saturday festival against Mainz be the signal for return matches finally in line with the club's ambitions?

It was in any case the work of two players from whom the Saxons expect a lot: the Portuguese international striker Andre Silva managed a double, and Christopher Nkunku, who is at the gates of the France team, was once again decisive , with one goal and two assists.

The RB is provisionally 8th, but is approaching five points from the top-4, the goal set by its leaders.

Covid and politics

But the subject of the moment in the Bundesliga is above all the new wave of Covid-19, which penalizes both the teams and the treasurers, desperate by the new period of closed doors that begins.

Two club presidents have publicly accused this week the political power of instrumentalizing football to make it a "symbol" of the fight against the pandemic.

"Explain to me why the concert halls receive 750 people twice a day, with an occupancy rate of 45%, and that in the open air stadiums no spectators are allowed", the boss of Borussia Dortmund got upset. Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Union Berlin defender Paul Jaeckel (l) beats Italian Leverkusen striker Lucas Alario on January 8, 2022 in Leverkusen SASCHA SCHUERMANN AFP

His Union Berlin counterpart Dirz Zingler accused politicians "of using the force of football to convey their own ideas, their own political goals in the media (...) on the air of + We must do something visible thing + ".

"Designating the stands as a place of contamination is dishonest", he added, stressing that the spectators, when they were admitted, were all vaccinated or cured, wore masks and were physically separated, because of the reduced gauges effective this fall.

Certain regions had already established the closed door in November, including Bavaria and Saxony, forcing in particular Bayern and Leipzig to play without an audience.

© 2022 AFP