Bayern stay five points clear after Dortmund stalemate
BERLIN: Bayern Munich remain five points clear of nearest Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund after a goalless draw between Germany’s top two sides on Saturday.
Bayern’s shock 2-1 defeat on Wednesday to Mainz — their first loss at home this season — meant Pep Guardiola’s Bayern came to second-placed Dortmund with their lead trimmed from eight points.
Despite his side’s healthy lead, Guardiola is clearly feeling the pressure of a league rival for the first time in his three years with Bayern.
“For us every game is a final now, we want to win (the title). So it goes on,” said Guardiola, whose team won the title two years ago with a record seven games left.
Despite the lack of goals, the game lived up to its billing as the clash of the teams which have dominated the German league this season.
There was no quarter asked or given in a high-quality match in the electric atmosphere of Dortmund’s Signal Park Arena in front of 81,359 fans.
“It could have been 2-2 at end of the first half. I think we had the better of the chances overall, but the draw is fair,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm.
“We are five points clear with nine games left, so there is still a long way to go and everything is in our hands.”
The game’s best chance came on 64 minutes when Arturo Vidal’s shot was palmed onto
the bar by Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Buerki.
The result offers their rivals hope as Bayern have now taken just one point from their last two games.
Earlier, Wolfsburg warmed up for their Champions League clash at home to Gent with a 2-1 win over Borussia Moenchengladach.
The win moved Wolfsburg up to seventh ahead of the visit of Gent on Tuesday, with the Germans leading 3-2 from the last 16, first leg tie.
Julian Draxler and Max Kruse scored as Wolfsburg raced into a 2-0 lead with 17 minutes gone