Bayern Munich snatched its 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in dramatic fashion with a final day 2-1 win at Cologne on Saturday courtesy of Jamal Musiala’s 89th minute goal, grabbing the trophy from the hands of rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund had gone into the last game of the season in the top spot but stumbled to a 2-2 against visitors Mainz 05, allowing Bayern to squeeze past it in the tightest league race in years.
In a climactic season finale, Bayern was celebrating what ended up being an unexpected title win while Dortmund’s dreams of its first league trophy since 2012 were left in tatters when it was trailing 2-0 to Mainz early on before battling to a 2-2 draw - but it needed victory to become champions.
Bayern finished on 71 points, ahead on goal difference from Dortmund. RB Leipzig and sensational Union Berlin are third and fourth respectively and will also compete in the Champions League next season.
Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 were relegated, while VfB Stuttgart will go into the relegation playoff.
Kingsley Coman settled Bayern’s nerves early on, putting it into the lead with a superbly curled shot into the top corner.
With Dortmund behind from the first half, the Bavarians knew it was now in front and controlled the first half without risking too much.
Leroy Sane did slot in just before the break but his effort did not count following a VAR review for handball.
With Bayern club bosses nervously checking their mobile phones for the score in Dortmund, Cologne earned an 80th minute penalty and Dejan Ljubicic sent the keeper the wrong way to level.
Sane thought he had missed the chance to hand his team the title when he failed to beat the Cologne keeper in the 88th but Musiala did it perfectly a minute later, curling a low drive into the far post in the rollercoaster season ending.
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