Bayern Munich are Bundesliga champions for a record 35th time after a 4-2 win over Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, with Harry Kane scoring his 32nd league goal of the season to cap a party in Munich.
The Bavarians can now claim to have finished top of the German top flight in 13 of the last 14 years. Bayern only needed a point to seal the title after Dortmund lost to Hoffenheim the previous day, and they delivered in style.
Bayern victorious
Stuttgart briefly threatened to spoil the celebrations when Chris Fuhrich opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Bayern responded in devastating fashion.
Goals from Raphael Guerreiro, Nicolas Jackson and Alphonso Davies arrived in a six-minute spell before the break, sending the home side in with a 3-1 lead.
Vincent Kompany had made eight changes to the side that started against Real Madrid in the Champions League midweek, with Kane, Michael Olise and Manuel Neuer among those rested.
Kane came off the bench at half-time and made his mark when it mattered, taking his tally for the season across all competitions to 51 goals. His league strike also pushed Bayern’s Bundesliga goal tally for the season to 109, breaking the record of 101 set by the iconic 1971-72 team of Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller.
Spanish forward Chema pulled one back for Stuttgart in the 88th minute, but the result was never in doubt.
Joshua Kimmich summed up the mood in the dressing room afterwards. “It’s very special,” he said. “Especially this season, it’s a very, very good Bundesliga season, including today’s game. It’s not a given that you come here after the games against Madrid and then play a game like this.”
The Bundesliga is only the first part of a potential treble for Kompany’s side. Bayern face Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday, before a Champions League semi-final showdown with Paris Saint-Germain.
Rabiot spares Milan’s blushes in Verona
AC Milan survived a nervy afternoon to claim a crucial 1-0 win at bottom side Hellas Verona, with Adrien Rabiot’s effort shortly before half-time proving enough.
The Rossoneri had been looking anxiously over their shoulders after back-to-back defeats against Napoli and Udinese, but the win lifted them back into second in Serie A and eight points above fifth-placed Como.
It was far from comfortable. Verona made life difficult throughout, and Matteo Gabbia also had to deny the hosts a major chance at the other end. Milan were far from fluent, but three points were all that mattered. Milan and Napoli both sit 12 points behind Serie A leader Inter Milan with five rounds remaining.
David scores as Juventus pick up big win in race for Europe
Juventus beat Bologna 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday evening, strengthening their grip on fourth place in Serie A and the final Champions League qualification spot.
Jonathan David opened the scoring inside two minutes, giving Juventus the platform they needed against a Bologna side still recovering from their Europa League exit at the hands of Aston Villa earlier in the week.
The win extends Juventus’s advantage over fifth-placed Como to five points with five games remaining.