Bayern Munich secured their 34th Bundesliga title on Sunday, earning striker Harry Kane his first career trophy, after second-placed Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg.
Bayern’s 3-3 draw against RB Leipzig on Saturday, where they came back from two goals down before conceding in stoppage time, meant that Leverkusen needed a victory to postpone Bayern’s title celebrations.
Leverkusen fell behind by two goals but managed to score twice in the final ten minutes.
However, they were unable to find a winning goal, allowing Bayern to reclaim the Bundesliga title after their 11-year run was interrupted last season.
Alonso, who previously claimed three Bundesliga titles as a Bayern player, congratulated his former club.
“Congratulations to Bayern. It’s a deserved championship. They were more consistent team over the season and they deserve the shield,” Alonso said to DAZN.
Kane, who had never won a major trophy before, watched the Leverkusen match with his teammates in Munich.
The England striker was unavailable for the Leipzig game due to suspension but is set to return this Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach, when Bayern will be officially handed the Bundesliga shield.
With Bayern holding a significantly better goal difference, Leverkusen’s hopes of retaining the title were virtually gone before kickoff.
Eggestein scored a long-range effort before halftime, and Hincapie added an own goal shortly after the break.
Wirtz responded with a dazzling solo run and finish with eight minutes left.
Tah equalized in added time, but Leverkusen couldn’t find the decisive third goal to prolong the title race.
Leverkusen, who went unbeaten during their title-winning campaign last season, are now eight points behind Bayern with two matches remaining.
With their title defense over, attention now turns to whether Alonso and Wirtz will remain at the club beyond this season.
Alonso’s current deal runs until 2026, but he has been strongly linked with Real Madrid, where he previously played.
Wirtz, whose contract ends in 2027, is reportedly considering a big transfer to Bayern.
Tah, who has announced he will leave Leverkusen at the end of the season after ten years, criticized the team’s performance: “Too little intensity, we had too few runs in behind. It didn’t work today.”
Tah has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Bayern but said, “we’ll see” about his next destination.
Despite the draw, Leverkusen matched a Bundesliga record set by Bayern by going 33 away games without defeat.
The point keeps Freiburg in fourth place, one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the race for the final Champions League spot. Freiburg have never played in Europe’s top-tier competition.
Earlier on Sunday, Holstein Kiel kept their survival hopes alive with a 3-1 win at Augsburg, led by a Bernhardsson brace and a Machino penalty. They are now just one point behind Heidenheim, who sit in the relegation play-off position.
In Sunday’s late fixture, Eintracht Frankfurt had the chance to move closer to a top-four finish and Champions League qualification with a victory against Mainz. (AFP)
What you should know
Bayern Munich’s return to the top of German football not only brought the club its 34th league title but also marked a long-awaited milestone for Harry Kane. While Bayern celebrate, Leverkusen must now focus on retaining star talents like Wirtz and Alonso amid growing transfer speculation.
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