German soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich sealed the title of Bundesliga on Sunday after they secured a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg. (Xinhua Photo)
BERLIN, May 4 (Xinhua) — German soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich sealed the title of Bundesliga on Sunday after they secured a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg.
Bayern were not at their best in Wolfsburg, but it was enough for a goalless draw and Werder Bremen – ten points behind – can no longer leapfrog Bayern with three match days left.
It’s the 21st title Bayern have won the Bundesliga, and it’s the seventh double for Bayern. Earlier last month, they crashed Dortmund to claim the German Cup.
They had already won the league and cup double in 1969, 1986, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
Ottmar Hitzfeld won his 7th German championship and his 17th trophy as club coach.
The Bayern coach rested a few injured players, including captain Oliver Kahn, Miroslav Klose and Franck Ribery.
German soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich sealed the title of Bundesliga on Sunday after they secured a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg. (Xinhua Photo)
Bayern were under pressure from the first whistle as VfL created almost all opportunities, but their finishing let the hosts down.
Edin Dzeko missed an early opportunity in the 4th minute when clean through before Marcelinho squandered further chances in the first half.
The “Wolves” continued to be the better team after the break, with Marcelinho and Ricardo Costa going close, but Bayern held on for a draw – and the Bundesliga title.
“It’s a special achievement,” outgoing coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. “There was a lot of expectation and the pressure was enormous but now we’ve done it.”
“All in all it’s been a fantastic season, we played great football and took a big step forward this season,” club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.
However, Bayern were humiliated 4-0 in their UEFA Cup semifinal second leg against Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday, dashing their hopes of a treble in Hitzfeld’s final season before he makes way for incoming coach Juergen Klinsmann.
German soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich sealed the title of Bundesliga on Sunday after they secured a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg. (Xinhua Photo)
This season, Bayern have lost just twice in the league so far, and boast the top scorer in the Italian striker Toni, who has bagged 21 goals in 29 Bundesliga matches in his debut season in Germany.
Ribery, the French playmaker signed from Olympique Marseille for 30 million euros, has been a delight to watch, while Oliver Kahn has proved in his final season at the club, and at the age of38, that he remains one of the world’s best keepers.
German soccer powerhouse Bayern Munich sealed the title of Bundesliga on Sunday after they secured a 0-0 draw at Wolfsburg. (Xinhua Photo)