Bayern Munich are 10 points clear, and on the verge of a historic fourth straight Bundesliga title, after Robert Lewandowski netted twice in yesterday’s 3-0 win over Schalke.
With second-placed Borussia Dortmund hosting Hamburg today, Pep Guardiola’s Bayern took the chance to extend their lead at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
With four league games left, and depending on other results, Bayern could be confirmed as the first club to win four straight German league titles when they host Borussia Moechengladbach in a fortnight.
Guardiola can sign off his three years in Munich with the treble before coaching Manchester City next season.
Bayern face Werder Bremen in the German Cup semi-finals on Tuesday and have drawn Atletico Madrid in the Champions League’s last four.
After a disjointed first-half display in Munich, Bayern went up a gear after the break. Arturo Vidal’s header was chested down by Lewandowski, who turned and hit the back of the net on 54 minutes to end his dry patch after 390 minutes without a goal.
The Poland hot-shot headed home his 27th league goal of the season on 65 minutes to leave him as the Bundesliga’s top scorer, four ahead of Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. “I feel good again. There are phases when things don’t go that well,” Lewandowski told Sky having failed to score in his four previous matches. “We were slow in the first half, but played really well after the break.”
Vidal then added Bayern’s third when he tapped home after some superb individual skills from Franck Ribery who jinxed his way through the Schalke defence before providing the final pass.
Earlier, Bayer Leverkusen climbed to third, and are on course for a direct Champions League place next season, after their 3-0 win over strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt.
Kevin Kampl gave Bayer the lead on 70 minutes, just 43 seconds after coming off the bench for Leverkusen’s top scorer, Javier Hernandez, who limped off after pulling up with an injury. Julian Brandt and Germany winger Karim Bellarabi then added further goals to leave Frankfurt second from bottom.
Leverkusen claim third from Hertha Berlin, who dropped one place after their 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim.
Hertha, who are bidding for a first Champions League place since the 1999/2000 season, are winless in their last three games.
Hoffenheim earned the victory when Mark Uth headed home at the far post to move his side up to 13th—three points above the relegation places.
Four days after their Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid, Wolfsburg lost again when they went down 3-2 at relegation-threatened Werder Bremen. Having lost 3-0 in Madrid, Wolfsburg were well beaten as Claudio Pizarro scored his 102nd goal for Bremen, to become the club’s all-time top scorer, by converting a first-half penalty.
Wolfsburg’s France midfielder Josuha Guilavogui equalised before the break, but Bremen netted goals from Fin Bartels and Mali midfielder Sambou Yatabare.
Wolfsburg’s director of sport Klaus Allofs was dismissed to the stands early in the second half after arguing with the fourth official.