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Leverkusen draw hands Kane's Bayern Bundesliga title

Leverkusen draw hands Kane's Bayern Bundesliga title

Sharjah 2404-05-2025

Bayern's 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party.

Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the last 10 minutes.

But Xabi Alonso's side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after Leverkusen ended their 11-year reign last season.

Alonso, who won three Bundesliga titles as a player with Bayern, congratulated his former club.

"Congratulations to Bayern. It's a deserved championship. They were more consistent team over the season and they deserve the shield," Alonso said to DAZN.

Kane, who had never previously won silverware, was among a group of Bayern players who gathered to watch the Leverkusen game in Munich on Sunday.

After full-time on Sunday, the striker shared a video of him singing Queen's 'We Are The Champions' with teammates to social media, as well as an emoji of a trophy.

The England captain was suspended for the match at Leipzig but will return this Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach at home, where Bayern will be presented with the Bundesliga shield at full-time.

Given Bayern's far superior goal difference, Leverkusen's chances of defending their title were already all but impossible.

Freiburg's Maximilian Eggestein hit a stunning goal from outside the box before half-time and Piero Hincapie was pressured into scoring an own goal just after the break.

Florian Wirtz netted a spectacular solo goal with eight minutes remaining, carving through the middle of the field before firing the ball in off the post.

Jonathan Tah headed Leverkusen level in stoppage time, but the visitors were unable to find the third goal which would have extended their spell as champions.

The result left Leverkusen, who became the first team in history to win the title unbeaten last season, eight points behind Bayern with two games remaining.

With the faint title hopes gone, Leverkusen's focus will turn to keeping hold of Alonso and Wirtz, who could both be headed for the exit in summer.

Alonso has a contract at Leverkusen until 2026 but has been heavily linked with Real Madrid, where he spent five seasons as a player.

Wirtz's deal expires in 2027 but the Germany midfielder is reportedly considering a big-money move to Bayern.

Tah, who has already confirmed he will leave the club on a free transfer after a decade in Leverkusen, said his side had "too little intensity, we had too few runs in behind. It didn't work today."

The Germany centre-back has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Bayern, but said "we'll see" where he plays next season.

The late goal meant Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak away from home to 33 games, equalling a Bundesliga record set by Bayern.

The draw keeps Freiburg in fourth, one point clear of Borussia Dortmund, in the final Champions League spot. Freiburg have never played in Europe's top competition.

Earlier on Sunday, Holstein Kiel won 3-1 at Augsburg, keeping their hopes of beating the drop alive.

Kiel won thanks to a double from Alexander Bernhardsson and a Shuto Machino penalty and are now one point behind Heidenheim in the relegation play-off spot.

In Sunday's late game, Eintracht Frankfurt can take a major step towards a top-four spot and Champions League qualification with a win at local rivals Mainz.

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