Bayern Clinch Title on Final Day

By Andrew Lord

27 May 2023

Bayern Munich are Bundesliga champions once again after a dramatic final day of the season. The Bavarians took advantage of Dortmund’s failure to beat Mainz at home to win the title on goal difference.

Dortmund had started the day two points ahead of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, so a win would have guaranteed the club its first Bundesliga title since winning the league under Jürgen Klopp in 2012. But as Bayern Munich beat FC Cologne 2-1 thanks to a late goal by Jamal Musiala and Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 with Mainz 05, it was the Bavarians who were celebrating their 11^th Bundesliga title in a row.

Bayern Munich got off to a perfect start when Kingsley Coman put the Bavarians ahead after eight minutes. Then disaster struck for Dortmund when Andreas Hanche-Olsen headed home a corner to put Mainz one up after 15 minutes. Dortmund had the chance to equalise just minutes later, but Sebastien Haller had his poorly-placed penalty saved by Finn Dahmen. The afternoon looked to be turning into a disaster for Dortmund when Mainz doubled their lead after 24 minutes with Karim Onisiwo heading home when completely unmarked in the six-yard box.

A mountain to climb

Dortmund now had a mountain to climb. In Cologne, Bayern Munich were having an easier time of it. Thomas Müller hit the post with a header and on the stroke of half-time, Leroy Sané thought he had made it 2-0 for the Bavarians, but his goal was ruled out for handball in the build up to the goal.

Dortmund continued to dominate possession, with Cologne dangerous on the break, and with 69 minutes on the clock, Raphael Guerreiro gave Dortmund hope when he made it 2-1.

With just nine minutes remaining, Cologne were awarded a free-kick after Serge Gnabry was judged to have handled the ball, but it was upgraded to a penalty after VAR intervened. Dejan Ljubicic scored to make it 1-1, a score which saw Dortmund go back to the top of the league.

But Jamal Musiala put Bayern Munich back on the top of the table with a goal in the 86^th minute. In the 94^th minute, Haller put the ball into the net with a sharp volley, but it was ruled out as he was in an offside position. In the 96^th minute Niklas Süle equalised, but it was all too late for Dortmund.

The Bayern Munich players celebrated at injured keeper Manuel Neuer held the replica Bundesliga shield aloft in Cologne, while Dortmund trainer Edin Terzić shed tears at the Signal Iduna Park. Terzić told reporters: “I’m sure you can all imagine how I feel right now. Everyone wanted the Bundesliga to be more exciting and we have made our contribution to that.”

How we got here

It had been the closest Bundesliga title race for many years in what has been a turbulent end to the season for Bayern Munich. At the end of April, the club lost to Mainz 3-1 after a second-half collapse which saw Mainz score three goals in 14 minutes.

The wheels finally came off when the Bavarians were beaten 3-1 by RB Leipzig at the Allianz Arena as Bayern Munich once again conceded three goals in the second half.

Bayern’s second defeat in five games gave Borussia Dortmund the chance to leapfrog over the Bundesliga champions the following day away to Augsburg. The hosts were reduced to ten men late in the first half when Felix Uduokhai was shown the red car for a professional foul and Dortmund ran out comfortable winners with a brace from Sebastien Haller and a stoppage time goal from Julian Brandt.

The results put Dortmund in pole position with a two-point lead going into the final game day of the season, but ultimately they were unable to make their advantage count.

Bayern Munich sacked trainer Julian Nagelsmann on March 24 following a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. He was by ex-Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea trainer Thomas Tuchel. Although Tuchel led his new club to a 4-2 win over Dortmund, his side crashed out of the German Cup in a 2-1 home loss to SC Freiburg and suffered a 4-1 aggregate defeat in the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City.

Despite the title win, Bayern Munich reacted to the poor performances this season by sacking CEO Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić after the final whistle. Although the decision had been made to sack the pair on the Friday before the game. Kahn, in particular, was inconsolable. He described the day as the worst of his life.

It has been the closest race for the Bundesliga title in many years and with changes in store at Bayern Munich, it could turn out to have been the best chance to knock the record title-winners off their perch.