BERLIN (Reuters) – Talking points from the Bundesliga weekend:
SCHALKE RELEGATION
Schalke 04 are gradually coming to terms with the prospect of what looks to be a likely relegation and their 4-0 loss in the Ruhr valley derby against Borussia Dortmund only added to their current misery.
Even before the derby, board member Alexander Jobst had called the prospect of relegation “absolutely realistic”.
Schalke are in last place on nine points, nine behind Arminia Bielefeld who occupy the relegation playoff spot.
ROSE DEPARTURE
Borussia Moenchengladbach fans are fuming over coach Marco Rose’s announcement last week that he would be joining Borussia Dortmund next season.
Their 2-1 loss to Mainz 05 did nothing to calm nerves around the club with Rose saying he expected further likely turmoil.
“I take responsibility for the defeat because all of what happened during the week, also because of me, was a disturbance for the team,” Rose said.
“This result against Mainz does not help us and it means that around us there will likely be even more disturbance.”
Gladbach, who face Manchester City in the Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday, have dropped to eighth place after going four league games without a win.
TIGHT RACE
After years of complete Bayern Munich domination in the Bundesliga, the champions may be on course for a ninth consecutive league crown but their defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, which was preceded by a draw against Arminia Bielefeld last week, has seen RB Leipzig come within two points.
Bayern, who have won six titles in the past nine months, are missing key players to injury and COVID-19 infections while also displaying a consistent weakness in defence.
“There are certainly many fans out there who think it is a good thing that the title race is now tighter,” said Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “But it is not in our interest. We want to win the German championship.”
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Editing by William Maclean)
