Bayer Leverkusen has taken a commanding position in the Bundesliga title race, moving 10 points clear at the top following a decisive victory against 10-man Cologne.
The opportunity to widen the gap arose after defending champions Bayern Munich were held to a 2-2 draw by Freiburg.
Leverkusen capitalised on this chance, with Jeremie Frimpong opening the scoring and Alex Grimaldo adding a second with a low strike in the second half. The task became more favourable for Leverkusen when Cologne’s Jan Thielmann received a straight red card for a foul on Granit Xhaka.
The win extends Leverkusen’s undefeated streak to an impressive 34 games in all competitions this season. With 64 points, they now sit comfortably at the summit, while Bayern Munich trails in second place with 54 points.
Managed by former Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen are on course to secure their first-ever Bundesliga title, having been runners-up on five occasions. This potential triumph would also bring an end to Bayern’s dominant run of 11 consecutive title wins.
🔴⚫️ Bayer Leverkusen are now 10 points on top of the Bundesliga, one more win… and their unbeaten run continues.
🤯 99 goals scored in 34 games.
🚀 11 goals and 11 assists for Grimaldo, 10 goals and 10 assists for Frimpong — LWB and RWB.
Xabi Alonso, doing super job. pic.twitter.com/nnaAWBouH4
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 3, 2024
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich has announced the departure of manager Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, a decision influenced by their recent disappointing results.
The Bavarians could end the season without a trophy after finding themselves in a tight situation in the UEFA Champions League. They will host Lazio on Tuesday in a tie they trail 1-0 zero following a disappointing first-leg performance.