'Special' Farewell for Robben, Ribery As Bayern Win Title
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15 SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2019 sports ‘Special’ farewell for Robben, Ribery as Bayern win title Bayern Munich won Bundesliga• with decisive goals from Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery KNOW WHAT Victory leaves Bayern• two points ahead of Dortmund Bayern Munich secured seventh league title in a row AFP | Berlin ranck Ribery hailed a heim without European football, “special” moment as he meanwhile, after Mainz came Fand Arjen Robben both from behind to snatch a late scored in their final game at 4-2 win and knock Hoffenheim the Allianz Arena yesterday to down to ninth. wrap up a 5-1 win over Eintracht Daniel Brosinski and Jean- Frankfurt and a seventh succes- Paul Boetius cancelled out first- sive Bundesliga title. half goals from Ishak Belfodil “It was a special moment, but and Andrej Kramaric, before also a difficult one,” Ribery told Boetius and Jean-Philippe Ma- (Front row, L to R) Bayern Munich’s Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich’s Brazilian defender Rafinha and Bayern Munich’s French midfielder Franck Sky. Ribery lift the trophy as Bayern Munich players celebrate teta snatched the win in inju- “These were my last moments ry-time. at the Allianz Arena, with the tween January and May as they Hernandez. a matter of minutes. Frankfurt saw Bayer Leverkusen Wolfsburg will join Gladbach fans and with my team, after bounced back to be crowned Kingsley Coman gave Bayern Dortmund’s hopes lay in tat- sneak into the fourth Champions and Frankfurt in the Europa being here for 12 years.” German champions for the 29th a dream start, slotting home a ters when Renato Sanches blast- League spot behind RB Leipzig, League after a Wout Weghorst “There is a time for everything time in their history. Thomas Mueller through ball ed the ball in from close range to as they won 5-1 away to Hertha hat-trick and goals from Robin and you have to accept it.” Robben and Ribery, who will after just four minutes. score his first Bundesliga goal Berlin. Knoche, Daniel Ginczek, Elvis The fairytale farewell for club both leave the club at the end of There was brief hope for Dort- and put Bayern 3-1 up. Valentino Lazaro cancelled Rexbechaj and Josip Brekalo icons Robben and Ribery saw the season, came off the bench mund as both they and Frankfurt Ribery and Robben each out Kai Havertz’s opener but saw them thrash Augsburg 8-1. Bayern end an unusually tight against Frankfurt to score Bay- scored either side of half-time. came off the bench to stand- Julian Brandt and a Lucas Alario Julian Schieber picked up a title race two points ahead of ern’s fourth and fifth goals and After Gladbach dominated the ing ovations in the second half, hat-trick ensured a comfortable consolation goal for Augsburg rivals Borussia Dortmund, who end Dortmund’s hopes of pulling first half, Jadon Sancho smashed and Ribery danced through the win for Leverkusen. before a Kevin Danso own-goal beat Borussia Moenchenglad- off a final day miracle. in the opener for Dortmund, and Frankfurt ranks to seal the title Third-place RB Leipzig lost completed the rout. bach 2-0. Their departure marks the Reus doubled the lead after the on 72 minutes, before Robben 2-1 to Werder Bremen, 40-year- At the other end of the table, “You couldn’t write a better end of a glistening decade of break. completed a fairytale afternoon old Claudio Pizarro grabbing Stuttgart held Schalke to a 0-0 finale than that,” said Bayern success for Bayern, who are now In Munich, Sebastien Haller with a 78th minute tap-in. the winner after Nordi Mukiele draw, and Nicolai Mueller’s late coach Niko Kovac. set for a major squad overhaul bundled in a shock equaliser at had equalised Milot Rashica’s goal was not enough for relegat- Nine points behind Dortmund ahead of next season, having a corner just after the break, but Leverkusen secure top four opener. ed Hanover, as Rouwen Hen- in December, Bayern already signed World Cup win- Bayern responded furiously, and spot Leipzig-bound coach Julian nings and Kenan Karaman fired lost just one game be- ners Benjamin Pavard and Lucas David Alaba restored the lead in The defeats for Gladbach and Nagelsmann will leave Hoffen- Fortuna Duesseldorf to a 2-1 win. Zidane the boss as Bale De Bruyne has no sympathy for set for final game at Real Gareth Bale Liverpool over narrow title miss AFP | Madrid AFP | London when asked did he have sympa- sparkled for Belgium as they inedine Zidane hinted yesterday that Gareth thy for Liverpool. finished a best ever third in the ZBale could make his last appearance for Real anchester City star Kevin “It’s a remarkable effort but it World Cup, says Liverpool feel- Madrid on Sunday after saying he would make MDe Bruyne understands means that we were just better ing sore is understandable. changes this summer ahead of the final match of Liverpool players being disap- than them in the end. “I know how they feel be - their miserable La Liga season. pointed at falling just short of “I don’t feel cause you’re Bale fell out with Zidane towards the end of winning the Premier League sorry for them going to feel dis- the Frenchman’s first spell in charge and their ti- tle but he does not because I don’t appointed,” said relationship has quickly soured again, with the have any sympa- think they’d feel De Bruyne, who Wales attacker starting just five times since the thy for them. sorry for us. For me football is fit for selection coach’s return in March and left out completely for The 27-year- “I don’t think is still a game of for the Cup final. Real’s last two matches against Villarreal and Real Kevin old Belgian mid- anybody felt sor- emotions. I don’t “We’d feel Sociedad. De fielder says sim- ry about the way the same if it Bruyne like how people try Zidane said Bale would be in the squad against Real ply his side we went out of to take emotions happened to Betis on Sunday but, asked by reporters if it would w e r e the Champions us. But we’re be his last game for Madrid, he said: “I don’t know, better League.” out of the game, still competi- I can’t tell you. It’s the season finale and next year than He played a because what it’s tors. We want there are going to be changes. But I don’t know what Liver- less influen - about is having fun, to win as much is going to happen.” pool. tial role than in enjoying. If you win as they do but I Madrid face Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu in their D e City’s 2017/18 you’re happy, if you can understand final match of a campaign that will see them finish Bruyne title triumph, lose you are sad. the feelings they third, behind both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, and says starting just 11 And that’s what it’s have.” trophyless after being knocked out of the Copa Del Rey no one league matches De Bruyne, by Barca and the Champions League by Ajax. would with bit parts all about whose high Zidane has pledged to make changes once the campaign is have felt in eight others KEVIN DE BRUYNE point in what he over, with several players including Bale expected to be sold, sorry for due to two seri- admits has “not and defended his right to make the big calls. City when ous knee inju - been the most “It’s my decision,” Zidane told reporters. “That is clear as they lost to Tot- ries and then a hamstring fun season” has come off the water. I’m the coach and I will always do what I want to do. If tenham Hotspur problem. pitch with his second son be- not, I’ll leave. in the Champions De Bruyne, who had a superb ing born, is a great believer in “For signings and those sorts of things we have people who League quarter-final. 2018 being named City’s player football being played through work on them but we work together.” “No,” he said this week of the 2017/18 season and then emotions..