Bayern Munich were crowned German champions for a record 34th time on Sunday, handing England striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw away at Freiburg.
Bayern had drawn 3-3 at RB Leipzig on Saturday, coming back from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser. That result meant Leverkusen needed a win to keep the title race alive.
Xabi Alonso’s men fought back from two goals behind in the final 10 minutes but could not find a decisive third, allowing Bayern to reclaim the Bundesliga crown after Leverkusen ended their 11-year dominance last season.
Alonso, who previously won three Bundesliga titles as a player with Bayern, congratulated his former side: “Congratulations to Bayern. It’s a deserved championship. They were the more consistent team throughout the season and they deserve the shield,” he told DAZN.
Kane, who had never previously won a trophy in his career, watched the Leverkusen game with his Bayern teammates in Munich. The England captain was suspended for the Leipzig match but will return for Saturday’s home fixture against Borussia Mönchengladbach, where Bayern will officially receive the Bundesliga shield.
Given Bayern’s vastly superior goal difference, Leverkusen’s hopes of retaining the title were already remote. Freiburg opened the scoring through Maximilian Eggestein’s long-range strike, before a pressured Piero Hincapié put through his own net just after the interval.
Florian Wirtz pulled one back for Leverkusen with a dazzling solo effort, and Jonathan Tah equalised in added time. However, they were unable to complete the turnaround.
The draw leaves Leverkusen eight points behind Bayern with just two matches left to play, confirming the title for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Bayern’s victory also shifts focus onto Leverkusen’s future, with Alonso being strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid and Wirtz reportedly attracting Bayern’s interest. Tah, who has announced he will leave the club this summer, said: “We didn’t show enough intensity. It didn’t work today.”
The result extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten away run to 33 Bundesliga games, equalling a league record set by Bayern.
Freiburg, meanwhile, move into fourth place—one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund—as they chase a historic first qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
Elsewhere, Holstein Kiel kept their survival hopes alive with a 3-1 win away to Augsburg, thanks to a brace from Alexander Bernhardsson and a penalty from Shuto Machino. They now sit just one point behind Heidenheim in the relegation play-off position.
Later on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt face Mainz with a chance to bolster their Champions League hopes.