Reds held to goalless stalemate in Leipzig

FC Bayern were held to goalless draw by RB Leipzig on Saturday afternoon, the title champagne remaining on ice as Dortmund beat Düsseldorf 3-2 at the same time. Bayern were dominant throughout but failed to find a way through Leipzig's solid rearguard.

The Bavarians started with Sven Ulreich in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Mats Hummels and David Alaba in a back four. Thiago  and Leon Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Serge Gnabry, Thomas Müller and Kingsley Coman, with Robert Lewandowski as lone striker. Franck Ribéry, Rafinha and Arjen Robben took over from Gnabry, Thiago and Coman in the closing stages.

No goals in hard-fought first half

The 41,939 full house in Leipzig saw Bayern dominate proceedings, with the Bulls threatening on the break in a hard-fought first half. Lewandowski fired inches wide following a fine Thiago pass, but the Poland captain was flagged offside anyway. Yussuf Poulsen fired wide at the other end as the hosts got a grip on the contest, but both sides struggled to create anything of attacking note for a while.

Lewandowski crisply sidestepped two defenders and squared to Gnabry, who saw his effort blocked. The very industrious Ibrahima Konaté beat Lewandowski to a Kimmich cross. RB netminder Peter Gulacsi proved equal to a Gnabry effort before Timo Werner warmed Ulreich's gloves at the other end, and match official Manuel Gräfe blew for half-time.

Offside flag and woodwork

Bayern went onto the front foot after the restart, Alaba seeing his effort saved, Coman firing wide from the rebound. Munich did have the ball in the back of the net when Goretzka capitalised on a mix-up in the box, but the goal did not count for offside after VAR intervention. Müller saw an effort saved before glancing a header over the bar.

Gnabry soon had only Gulacsi to beat but hit the bar and was flagged offside anyway. Marcel Halstenberg fired wide from a tight angle. Bayern were awarded a free-kick in the closing stages, Lewandowski rifling inches wide, and Robben's miscued curler in injury time meant the champagne remained on ice.

The result means Bayern have 75 points from 33 matches, two clear of Dortmund. The German record champions will be back in action next Saturday, when they entertain Frankfurt in the last Bundesliga match of the season, and if they draw or win the match Bayern will seal the championship title on home soil for the first time since 2000. Leipzig and Bayern meet again in the DFB Cup final in Berlin on 25 May.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen