By Anietie anii-bassey
Bayern Munich secured its record-extending 35th German league title with a commanding victory over VfB Stuttgart, wrapping up the Bundesliga crown with four matches still remaining in the season.
The Bavarian club only needed a draw to mathematically secure the championship after second-placed Borussia Dortmund lost to TSG Hoffenheim a day earlier. Instead, Bayern delivered another dominant performance to move 15 points clear at the top of the table.
Harry Kane came off the bench in the second half and scored his league-leading 32nd Bundesliga goal of the season as Bayern overwhelmed Stuttgart. Kane’s strike was his 51st goal in all competitions this season and further underlined the remarkable campaign he is enjoying in his first year in Germany.
The visitors had briefly stunned the home crowd when Chris Führich opened the scoring for Stuttgart in the 21st minute. But Bayern responded with a devastating spell before halftime, scoring three times in six minutes to completely turn the match around.
Raphaël Guerreiro equalized in the 31st minute after a brilliant run down the left by Jamal Musiala, who beat two defenders before delivering a low cross for a simple finish.
Soon after, Luis Díaz capitalized on a defensive mistake by Finn Jeltsch and unselfishly set up Nicolas Jackson to score Bayern’s second goal.
Just four minutes later, Alphonso Davies added a third with a shot that took a deflection on its way past the goalkeeper, giving Bayern firm control before halftime.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had heavily rotated his side after the club’s recent UEFA Champions League semifinal clash with Real Madrid. Several regular starters, including Manuel Neuer, Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano and Aleksandar Pavlović, began the match on the bench.
Despite the changes, Bayern still looked vastly superior. The atmosphere inside the stadium was somewhat subdued early on amid reports of clashes between Bayern and Stuttgart supporters before kickoff.
At halftime, Kompany introduced Kane and Olise, while Musiala and Díaz were given a rest ahead of Bayern’s upcoming matches. Youngster Bara Ndiaye later came on for just his second Bundesliga appearance.
Kane’s goal late in the match further extended Bayern’s league record for goals in a Bundesliga season to 109. The previous mark of 101 goals was set by Bayern’s famous 1971-72 side led by Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller.
Stuttgart did manage a late consolation when Spanish midfielder Chema scored a spectacular goal in the 88th minute, but it did little to dampen Bayern’s celebrations.
The title is Bayern’s first since winning the club’s original national championship in 1932 before the Bundesliga era began in 1963. Every championship since then has come in the Bundesliga era, further cementing Bayern’s status as Germany’s dominant club.
Bayern’s players celebrated in front of their fans wearing cockatoo-themed T-shirts, though the usual beer showers that often accompany title celebrations were absent. Club president Herbert Hainer made it clear the club’s ambitions stretch beyond the Bundesliga trophy.
Bayern are still chasing a potential treble this season. The club next travels to face Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinal of the DFB-Pokal before taking on defending European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Nadiem Amiri scored a stoppage-time penalty to earn Mainz a 1-1 draw away to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Freiburg defeated last-placed Heidenheim 2-1 thanks to deflected goals from Johan Manzambi and Maximilian Eggestein. Budu Zivzivadze had briefly brought Heidenheim level with a superb strike.
The defeat left Heidenheim seven points behind St. Pauli in the battle to avoid relegation with only four games remaining.
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