Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title defence earned a massive boost when they secured a 1-0 win over arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Joshua Kimmich won Der Klassiker for the Bavarians with a delightful chip from 20 yards just before the break after a series of efforts from both teams had been cleared off the line.
The hosts brought on England sensation Jadon Sancho in the second half with the hopes that he inspires a comeback or, at the very least, an equaliser. However, the 20-year-old could not command a turnaround as his side struggled to create clear-cut chances in the final third.
The encounter was initially believed to be a goal-fest, with the build-up focused on Robert Lewandowski and Erling Braut Haaland, who have both netted 41 goals in 35 club games this season. However, while the Bayern Munich talisman was a constant nuisance to the BVB defence despite being less threatening, the Dortmund sensation only showed flashes of his endearing brilliance in the opening half.
The result takes the Munich giants’ remarkable unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches, with their last defeat coming in December last year when they lost 2-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Hansi Flick’s men are now seven points clear at the summit of the Bundesliga and look set for their eighth successive league title, which they will lift if they win four of their final six games. The victory also means the German tactician has equalled Pep Guardiola’s record of being the only manager to win 15 of his first 18 Bundesliga games in charge of the club.
Meanwhile, Lucien Favre’s side remain at second place on the standings, with only three points separating them from third-placed RB Leipzig. Their hopes of winning their first Bundesliga title since the 2011-12 season has certainly taken a massive blow but they will look to maintain their spot on the table with a win against Paderborn next weekend.
In accordance with the government regulations for sports events amid the coronavirus crisis, the Bundesliga matches continued to be played in empty stadiums, devoid of fans who normally make Der Klassiker an impassioned and aesthetically-pleasing affair.
With the most-anticipated fixture of the match-week now over, let us take a look at some of the best reactions to the game on Twitter:
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