Full time: Bayern Munich 5-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Peep peep! Bayern restore their four-point lead with an ultimately comfortable victory. Apart from a weird 10-minute spell in which Frankfurt threatened to come back from 3-0 down, Bayern were much the better side. They go into Tuesday’s big match at Dortmund in spectacular form, having won 16 of their last 17 games in all competitions. Thanks for your company, goodnight!
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88 min Glyn Atwal points out that Frankfurt still lead 7-6 on aggregate against Bayern this season. And they have two away goals, so Bayern need to score twice in the last few minutes if they want the full revenge experience.
85 min Two changes for Bayern: Joshua Zirkzee and Mickael Cuisance replaces the subdued Coman and the excellent Kimmich.
84 min Toure, in all sorts of space, brings a smart save from Neuer with a crisp low shot from the edge of the area. Bayern’s defending since half-time has been very half-arsed, though that might be because they relaxed when Lewandowski made it 3-0 in the first minute of the second half.
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84 min This win restores Bayern’s four-point lead over Dortmund with seven games remaining. The two teams meet in a humdinger on Tuesday evening.
83 min: Kostic hits the post! What a brilliant effort. He surged forward from the halfway line, swerved away from a defender and drove a fine low shot from 25 yards that beat Neuer and clattered off the inside of the post.
83 min It feels like Bayern haven’t been at their best tonight, yet they could have scored eight or nine. I’m not sure what this means.
81 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “Stick a fork in the Frankfurters, they’re done. Man of the match performance by Hinteregger though. Imperfect hat trick and a booking.”
If he’s truly serious about being the answer to a popular quiz question for decades to come, he needs to add a second own-goal or a second yellow card in the last 10 minutes.
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78 min The relentless Davies touches the ball past the keeper Trapp and towards Lewandowski, only for Ilsanker to charge back and wallop the ball behind for a corner.
77 min “The Kaiser, as he is known in Germany, was asked by the press here if he was looking forward to being one of only 10 guests at the stadium,” says Tony. “He replied, yes, because at a normal game he’s constantly asked questions about the game & football in general. Hmm, he doesn’t like answering questions about football...”
76 min More Frankfurt changes: Erik Durm and Bas Dost replace da Costa and Andre Silva.
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GOAL! Bayern 5-2 Frankfurt (Hinteregger 74 og)
Hinteregger gets his third goal of the game, but this one is in the wrong net. Gnabry, put through by Alaba’s long pass, touched the ball past the outrushing Trapp in the direction of Muller. It was intercepted by Hinteregger, who unwittingly knocked the ball off his standing foot and into the net.
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73 min And now a Bayern substitution. Jerome Boateng is replaced by Lucas Hernandez.
71 min A double change for Frankfurt. Djibril Sow and Daichi Kamada replace Rode and Gacinovic.
70 min Dortmund will be encouraged by Bayern’s scruffy defending in the second half. As you’re doubtless aware, the two teams meet on Tuesday.
68 min: Vital save by Neuer! Frankfurt are still attacking with puppy-dog enthusiasm. Andre Silva’s clever backheel sets up Gacinovic, whose fierce close-range shot is superbly blocked to his right by Neuer. Gacinovic should have scored.
67 min “PHONSIE!!!” says Liz in Canada, before adding some emojis that I don’t understand.
66 min Bayern are hungry for a few more goals. The substitute Gnabry plays a nice through pass to Coman, whose close-range shot brings a fine reaction save from Trapp.
65 min Bayern make their first change: Perisic off, Serge Gnabry on.
GOAL! Bayern 4-2 Frankfurt (Davies 61)
It was fun while it lasted. Alphonso Davies has ended Frankfurt’s stirring fightback by scoring Bayern’s fourth. He surged infield from the left but then gave the ball to Gelson Fernandes on the edge of the area. Happily for Davies, Fernandes then played a loose square pass between two Frankfurt defenders. Davies, who had kept going, ran round the ball and clipped it past Trapp with his right foot.
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60 min It’s all Frankfurt at the moment! Kostic scarpers down the left and clips a dangerous cross that is headed away by Davies.
59 min “Bayern are allowed 10 guests,” says Tony. “Why Beckenbauer is fit enough to watch football but not fit enough to stand trial is anyone’s guess.”
Because they are two different things?
58 min That’s Hinteregger’s eighth league goal of the season. Not quite Derek Mountfield territory, but still extremely good going for a centre-back.
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GOAL! Bayern 3-2 Frankfurt (Hinteregger 56)
He’s done it again! Rode swiung the corner towards the near post, where Hinteregger rose majestically to flick a header off the far post and into the net.
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55 min Andre Silva wins a corner for Frankfurt, who have a spring in their step all of a sudden.
GOAL! Bayern 3-1 Frankfurt (Hinteregger 52)
Well, nobody saw that coming. A Frankfurt corner was headed up in the air by the backpedalling Hinteregger, who had time to run after his own touch and bobble a volley past Neuer. That was very sloppy from Bayern.
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50 min Another chance for Bayern. Muller’s very deep cross from the right picks out Perisic, whose flying header hits the side netting at the near post.
48 min “Rob,” says Paul. “Please explain to me why Franz Beckenbauer, recovering from a heart operation (and main witness, excused by his illness, in the World Cup scandal of 2006) has been allowed to sit and watch the match. Can Bayern just invite a limited amount of guests or is something incorrect going on?”
Erm, I have no idea. You’re welcome!
GOAL! Bayern Munich 3-0 Eintracht Frankfurt (Lewandowski 46)
Robert Lewandowski scores in the first minute of the second half. It was a relatively simple finish for him, a stooping header from Coman’s lobbed cross. That’s his 41st goal of the season!
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46 min Frankfurt begin the second half. They’ve made a half-time substitution: Timothy Chandler on, Evan N’Dicka off.
“We’re a modest people,” says Liz White of her cautious praise for Alphonso Davies. “I hope I get to cheer him on in a World Cup.”
Half time: Bayern 2-0 Frankfurt
Peep peep! As expected, Bayern have been far too good for Eintracht Frankfurt. They lead through two accomplished finishes from Leon Goretzka and Thomas Muller. It could easily be three or four: Robert Lewandowski hit the bar and Kevin Trapp made a handful of saves. I’ll be back in 10 minutes to find out whether Bayern can fully avenge their 5-1 defeat in the return match.
45 min “That Canadian kid’s doing all right,” says Liz in Canada of the Bayern left-back Alphonso Davies.
All right? He is magnificent.
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GOAL GIVEN! Bayern 2-0 Frankurt.
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42 min There’s a VAR check for offside against Muller. It’s tight but I think he’s okay.
GOAL! Bayern 2-0 Frankfurt (Muller 41)
Game over. Alphonso Davies curls a cross from the left that bounces awkwardly in front of Muller at the near post. He controls it beautifully and then cracks a close-range volley past Trapp.
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38 min The resulting corner, swung out towards the penalty spot by Kimmich, is headed just wide of the far post by Lewandowski. Bayern could easily be 3-0 up.
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37 min Alaba’s wobbling long-range shot is pushed behind by Trapp.
35 min A lovely dummy from Lewandowski allows the ball to run through to Coman, whose shot deflects behind off N’Dicka. Hinteregger was booked for taking Lewandowski out off the ball with a hand to the face.
33 min Hinteregger, the centre-back, lumbers forward and has a pop from 30 yards. Goalkick to Bayern.
30 min Frankfurt have not played badly, for the most part, but they look bereft in the final third.
26 min Bayern’s front three, especially Lewandowski and Perisic, look a little bit rusty. Their midfielders have been terrific, though, particularly Kimmich.
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24 min A quiet spell in the game.
21 min Perisic’s 20-yard shot is comfortably saved by Trapp. He should have played it to Lewandowski.
20 min Frankfurt have responded pretty well to the goal. Gacinovic breaks into space on the right and crosses towards Andre Silva at the far post. It’s slightly overhit, though, and Silva volleys wide on the stretch.
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19 min Kimmich shoots high over the bar from distance.
18 min At the other end, Rode shoots well wide from 20 yards.
GOAL! Bayern 1-0 Frankfurt (Goretzka 17)
It’s been coming. Perisic plays the ball down the left to Muller, who scoots into the box and cuts the ball back towards the edge of the area. Lewandowski lets it run past him and into the path of Goretzka, who opens his body and slams the bouncing ball into the roof of the net. Lovely goal.
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14 min: Another chance for Bayern! Kimmich plays a give-and-go with Muller on the right, looks up and floats a cross into the area. Pavard rises above the Frankfurt defence on the six-yard line but thumps his header straight at Trapp. He should have scored.
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12 min: Chance for Perisic! Bayern are starting to threaten. Kimmich, 40 yards from goal, kissed a delightful pass over the defence to pick out Perisic, who made a fine angled run from the left. Perisic stretched to volley first time - but it was straight at Trapp.
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11 min: Lewandowski hits the bar! The corner ran all the way across the area to Lewandowski, 15 yards from goal. He swept a ferocious first-time shot with his left foot that beat Trapp and clattered off the crossbar.
11 min Perisic finds the maraduing Davies down the left. He moves into the area, cuts back on his right foot and tries to slide the ball into Lewandowski. A Frankfurt defender - NO I DON’T KNOW WHICH ONE - gets back and puts the ball behind for a corner. From which...
8 min Bayern appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Kimmich’s corner is flicked on by Muller and hits a Frankfurt defender on the chest or arm. Even if it did hit the arm, it was in a natural position and he was only a couple of yards away from Muller.
6 min Frankfurt have made a decent start and are pressing high up the pitch when they can. It’s a brave approach, I’ll give them that.
4 min Kimmich loses the ball just outside the Bayern area, but makes up for his error by blocking Gacinovic’s shot. At the other end, Coman scoots away from N’Dicka and falls over, but no free-kick is given. I think there was contact from N’Dicka, albeit unintentional.
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3 min Nothing to report so far. Bayern, as you’d expect, have started omn the front foot.
1 min Peep peep! Bayern, in red, kick off from right to left. Frankfurt are in white.
Wolfsburg 0-2 Dortmund
Here’s more on this afternoon’s win for Dortmund, which puts them one point behind the leaders Bayern, at least for a couple of hours.
Team news
Bayern Munich (4-3-3) Neuer; Pavard, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Muller, Kimmich, Goretzka; Coman, Lewandowski, Perisic.
Substitutes: Ulreich, Odriozola, Martinez, Cuisance, Hernandez, Gnabry, Mai, Batista, Meier, Zirkzee.
Eintracht Frankfurt (4-2-3-1) Trapp; Toure, Ilsanker, Hinteregger, N’Dicka; Gelson Fernandes, Rode; da Costa, Gacinovic, Kostic; Andre Silva.
Substitutes: Ronnow, Hasebe, Durm, de Guzman, Sow, Kamada, Torro, Chandler, Dost.
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These are the final scores in the early games, including excellent away wins for Dortmund, Bremen and Leverkusen:
- Borussia Monchengladbach 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen
- Wolfsburg 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
- Freiburg 0-1 Werder Bremen
- Paderborn 07 1-1 Hoffenheim
Preamble
Bayern Munich want more than just three points today. They would like a bit of the old revenge for their humiliation at the Commerzbank-Arena in November, when they were plugged 5-1 by today’s opponents Eintracht Frankfurt. It was Bayern’s biggest league defeat for a decade and led, inevitably, to the sacking of Niko Kovac. Great teams don’t forget days like that.
Frankfurt were a point behind Bayern after that match. Sixteen games later, there are 30 points between the sides. While Bayern have been relentless under their new manager Hansi Flick, Frankfurt are in danger of sleepwalking towards a relegation battle.
The good news is that things get easier for them after today; this is their last match this season against a team in the top five. If you offered Frankfurt a dignified 2-0 defeat today, I suspect they’d take it. But I’m not sure Bayern would accept a 2-0 win.
Kick off 5.30pm BST, 6.30pm CET.
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