FC Bayern Women retain Bundesliga title!

FC Bayern Women are the 2023/24 Google Pixel Bundesliga champions after retaining their title with a 2-1 win away at Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 20. It’s the sixth championship in the club’s history.

Georgia Stanway put the defending champions ahead inside 18 minutes at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion with president Herbert Hainer watching on. Linda Dallmann doubled the lead after 27 minutes. Nikola Karczewska got one back for the home side just after the hour mark to set up an exciting finish, but the Munich ladies saw it out to claim the win they needed to retain their crown. They are now on 54 points, an unassailable seven clear of Wolfsburg with only two games to go.

Four changes and a comeback

Alexander Straus made four changes to his team from the 3-0 win at home to Werder Bremen a fortnight ago. Katharina Naschenweng returned from her knee injury in place of Tuva Hansen in defence. Sarah Zadrazil replaced Samantha Kerr in midfield, while Dallmann and Sydney Lohmann came in for Klara Bühl and Pernille Harder, who missed out sick. Bayern also made the trip to Leverkusen without Franziska Kett (muscular), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament), Ana Maria Guzman (knee), Tainara and Alara Sehitler (both ill). There was good news, though, for Carolin Simon as she returned to the squad for the first time since her ACL injury.

Impressive first half

Bayern looked to make it clear from the start that there would be nothing in this game for the hosts. The first big chance came after just six minutes when Lea Schüller met Giulia Gwinn’s header but was denied from close range by Friederike Repohl. Stanway had Bayern celebrating not long after, though, when she put away Jovana Damjanovic’s square ball. The Munich ladies continued to dominate and doubled their lead on 27 minutes. Another corner that Repohl was only able to clear to the feet of Dallmann, who tucked away for 2-0.

Tight second period

Things were similar after the restart, with Gwinn just missing out on the chance to make it 3-0 from a narrow angle. While Bayern failed to take their chances, Leverkusen did pounce with one opportunity out of the blue when Karczewska headed in a cross from Synne Skinnes Hansen from close range. Bayern didn’t let that knock them, though, as they kept pushing forward and wrapped up their 17th win of this league campaign and the title with two games remaining.

Cup final then Nürnberg

The newly crowned Bundesliga champions immediately have the chance to make it a first domestic double in their history as they contest the DFB Cup final against Wolfsburg on Thursday in Cologne. Three days after that, they host Nürnberg at the FC Bayern Campus in the Bundesliga on Sunday.