Next weekend, Eintracht Frankfurt (KO Saturday, 18:30 CEST) are the visitors to the Allianz Arena. Bayern fans can look back on the last home game against the Eagles with a smile and a tear in their eyes. With the first league title to be sealed at the Arena and the emotional farewells to Rafinha, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry, 18 May 2019 was really a day to remember!
A fairytale ending
"Farewell & thank you. For your struggle and commitment in the name of our colours" was the motto adorning the fans' great tifo before kick-off. The trio competed in a comined total of 980 competitive matches for FC Bayern. During the warm-up they were honoured by stadium announcer Stephan Lehmann, while their best moments were shown on the screens. And of course Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeneß and Hasan Salihamidžić did not miss the opportunity to bid farewell to Robben, Ribéry and Rafinha with a personal gift. At the beginning of the game all three started on the bench, but Robben and Ribéry still got their well-deserved chance in the second half. And the script could have come from the pen of a Hollywood screenwriter.
Always in top form
For the title, Bayern needed at least one point. With a 3-1 lead after 58 minutes, things looked good, but the game was not yet over. Then came Ribéry's substitution and he showed once again what made him stand out in the Bayern squad over the last 12 years. The Frenchman picked up the pace on the left and dribbled past one opponent after another. At the end of his dream solo, he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Kevin Trapp into the net to make it 4-1, thus sealing the championship for certain. With tears in his eyes, Ribéry celebrated his last goal in front of the FCB fans, many of whom must have had tears in their eyes too.
Great debut
A little later, a grand finale and happy ending for "Mr Wembley" followed. Robben's goal to round off a 5-1 win was the perfect end to a perfect game - and Bayern supporters were also able to celebrate another milestone. The fact that - incredibly enough - the Munich team sealed the championship for the first time at the Allianz Arena topped off what was already a successful day. It could not have gone better! Bayern fans can only hope that things go just as much to plan at home to Frakfurt this season. Three points against Eintracht would be an important step in the race for the title.
Last Sunday, FC Bayern returned to the Bundesliga after a break of almost two months with a win. Read all about the away win against Union Berlin here:
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