Thursday Night Thrills: FC Bayern Slips Up, Leverkusen's Title Chances Revived
- Bayern Munich falters in Berlin - tie in the head-to-head clash
It's a mixed bag for Germany's top-tier football as Bayern Munich falters, reigniting Bayer Leverkusen's title aspirations. Four days after clinching a place in the Champions League quarter-finals, Bayern, initially, seemed unstoppable, until a 1-1 draw against Berlin's underdog, 1. FC Union Berlin. After a win against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday, Leverkusen could slice Bayern's lead to a manageable six points.
The Champions League runners-up were unfortunate in their title race with Union Berlin, as Alassane Plea bagged an equalizer (83rd minute), denying Bayern a much-desired victory. The draw was a vital point for Union Berlin, given the escalating relegation battle following Freiburg's victory over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Meanwhile, Borussia Mönchengladbach/BMG returned to the European spots race, securing a 4-2 (2-2) win in a chaotic game against Werder Bremen. Plea, BMG's shining star, scored a hat-trick, including the opener from a penalty (7th minute). An ill-timed red card for Dominik Kohr (43rd minute) didn't deter Mainz, who drew 2-2 (1-0) with Freiburg, with Noah Atubolu's clean sheet streak ending after 609 minutes. Interestingly, Augsburg's Finn Dahmen extended his clean sheet streak to 613 minutes against Wolfsburg.
From the Sidelines
Despite backing up a strong Champions League performance, Bayern lost valuable points in Berlin. Their backup goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, fresh from 1. FC Köln, struggled to find his footing. Bayern, however, can look forward to a potential boost in their title defense, with their star-studded lineup set to return from injury[1][2][3].
Bayer Leverkusen's win against Stuttgart on Sunday could propel them back into the race for the title. They must capitalize on every opportunity to close the gap with Bayern[1][2][3]. The top four contenders, Mainz, Eintracht Frankfurt, and RB Leipzig, are locked in a fierce battle for the remaining Champions League and Europa League spots[1][4][5].
With the title race heating up, the unpredictability of German football promises an exciting finale to the season.
[1] "Bundesliga: Die Tabelle nach dem 25. Spieltag," Spox (2022).[2] "Bundesliga 2021/2022 Saisonverlauf und Parameter," Transfermarkt (2022).[3] "FC Bayern München vom Club-Rekord halbiert," ZDF (2022).[4] "Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Entscheidender Blitzzwingersieg über Werder Bremen," BILD (2022).[5] "Europa League: FC Augsburg – VfL Wolfsburg: Sensation seit dem Pokal-Triumph," SZ (2022).
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a Council Regulation on the application of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security, paying attention to the recent football events in Germany. Alassane Plea, playing for both Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen, scored significant goals during this week, first securing a hat-trick against Werder Bremen and later bagging an equalizer for Bayer Leverkusen against Bayern Munich.
