Bayern vs Mainz: Bayern win! Trophy within reach, yellow card suspension for Kane

Due to a lack of support, FC Bayern Munich has to postpone its championship celebrations. Harry Kane, who is currently without a title, might not be there.

FC Bayern Munich fulfilled its duty with a dominant 3-0 (2-0) victory against 1. FSV Mainz 05, but will have to wait for its 34th Bundesliga title due to Leverkusen’s 2-0 win over Augsburg. With an eight-point lead over closest rivals Bayer, the Munich team can now secure the title on their own next Saturday in Leipzig (3:30 p.m.) – with three matchdays still to go.

Harry Kane will miss this match because he received his fifth yellow card for delaying play against Mainz (45th minute +1 minute). After a free kick was whistled against him, he took the ball in his hands and prevented Mainz from quickly continuing play. The league’s top scorer is suspended for the first time in his 14-year professional career – and can therefore only watch as he potentially wins his long-awaited first title in Leipzig.

Warm applause for Thomas Müller

In Mainz, Leroy Sané (27th minute), Michael Olise (40th minute), and Eric Dier (84th minute) ensured Bayern’s comfortable victory. Things got emotional when Thomas Müller, weakened by a cold, came on as a substitute in the 84th minute. This gave him his 500th Bundesliga appearance and his penultimate home game before his contract with Bayern expires at the end of the season.

“On the one hand, it’s nice to see how the fans react, but on the other hand, it’s a bit strange to have the feeling: Okay, I can play one more game, and after that, I need a ticket,” Müller told Sportschau with a smile. He still has time to decide what his next move will be in the summer. “I’ve set aside time for after the season to get my bearings.”

Mainz winless in six matches.

Mainz handed Bayern one of their two defeats of the season in the first leg. FSV Mainz is currently struggling, having now gone six matches without a win, but, as seventh in the table, still has a chance of a place in the Conference, Europa League, or even the Champions League. “We played a good game, delivered our best performance,” said Mainz coach Bo Henriksen. “But Bayern were efficient and, of course, the better team today.”

Sané Provides Momentum

Mainz provided the first impressive moment of the match: German international Jonathan Burkardt skillfully shouldered a high ball, outmaneuvered Min-jae Kim, and shot well over the bar from close range. Bayern made an unusually high number of technical errors in the opening stages.

The Munich momentum was primarily provided by the dribbling-savvy Sané, who was rotated into the starting lineup for Kingsley Coman. Sané also scored the opening goal: after a combination involving Serge Gnabry and Konrad Laimer, he held onto the ball under pressure and shot into the left corner with his weaker right foot. Mainz were briefly down 10 men in this situation after Anthony Caci limped off.

Laimer with a second assist

Bayern then confidently controlled the game and added another goal before the break. Olise took a hook on the right edge of the penalty area, thwarted Phillipp Mwene’s lunge, and surprised goalkeeper Robin Zentner in the near post, which Mwene should have covered. Laimer again initiated the move, providing the assist for both goals.

After the break, the momentum was largely gone, Bayern managed their lead, and Mainz barely had any dangerous attacks. Sané should have increased the lead after just over an hour, but lobbed the ball over Zentner and onto the post. In the 80th minute, Bayern’s star striker had another dangerous shot, hitting the post again.

Eberl on Sané: “We know what we have in him”

Sané’s contract expires at the end of the season, and negotiations on an extension are ongoing, Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl told Sportschau. “We haven’t reached an agreement yet, but we’ve been talking to Leroy for a while. He’s already performed very, very well in recent weeks. We know what we have in him; we’ll talk and see what happens.”

Special praise for Dier

Dier then scored the third goal with a beautiful header following an Olise corner. “An important player who is a huge help to us in the crucial phase of the season – namely at the end, when the title is at stake,” said Eberl of the English central defender, who had mostly been on the bench until mid-February.

In the 88th minute, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany gave 17-year-old Swede Jonah Kusi-Arare his professional debut, bringing the talented striker on for Kane.

Munich in Leipzig, Mainz vs. Frankfurt

While Munich now aims to use their first match point to secure the title on Saturday afternoon in Leipzig, Mainz will be fighting for points for Europe on Sunday evening against Eintracht Frankfurt (7:30 p.m.).