Bayern Munich secured their record-extending 35th German Bundesliga championship on Sunday, cruising to a 4-2 victory over Stuttgart. The win moved Bayern an unassailable 15 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund with four rounds remaining.
Match Highlights
Harry Kane scored his league-leading 32nd goal of the season after coming on as a second-half substitute. The English striker's goal – his 51st across all competitions – helped Bayern set a new Bundesliga record of 109 goals in a season.
Stuttgart took the lead through Chris Führich in the 21st minute. However, Bayern responded with a flurry of goals as Raphaël Guerreiro, Nicolas Jackson, and Alphonso Davies scored in a remarkable six-minute spell before halftime. Spanish player Chema added a spectacular goal for Stuttgart in the 88th minute.
"It's very special," midfielder Joshua Kimmich said. "Especially this season, it's a very good Bundesliga season. It's not a given that you come here after the games against Madrid and then play a game like this."
Title Celebrations
Bayern's players lining up wearing cockatoo T-shirts in front of the fans, but there were none of the traditional beer showers that usually accompany league wins. The atmosphere was muted at the start, with reports of a clash between Bayern and Stuttgart fans before the match.
It's Bayern's first championship since 1932 – their inaugural title came in the pre-Bundesliga era. Every other title came after the league's formation in 1963.
Looking Ahead
The Bundesliga is just the first in a potential treble of trophies for Bayern this season. The Bavarian powerhouse faces Bayer Leverkusen away for their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday, followed by a two-legged Champions League semifinal tie against defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.
"It's not – hopefully not – the last title," Bayern president Herbert Hainer said. "Because we'll definitely win our fourth consecutive German championship with the women's team, and we're in the cup final with the women. And I hope that we can wrap everything up on Wednesday so that we can then travel to Berlin for the cup final with the men."
Squad Rotation
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany rotated his squad with eight changes to the team that started against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Manuel Neuer, Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, and Aleksandar Pavlović on the bench. Serge Gnabry was out with a thigh injury.
The 23-year-old Jamal Musiala became the second youngest Bayern player to reach 150 Bundesliga appearances after Uli Hoeneß, who was 11 days younger, according to stats provider Opta.