LEVERKUSEN (Germany): Bayer Lev­er­kusen substitute Julian Brandt scored on his 19th birthday on Saturday to inflict a 2-0 defeat on a second-string Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga champions’ first league game since sealing the title.

Brandt scored with a powerful shot past the helpless Manuel Neuer in the 81st minute, following a great run and through ball from Karim Bellarabi, who robbed Thiago Alcantara.

Hakan Calhanoglu opened the scoring with a free kick through Bayern’s defensive wall in the 55th, finding the gap between Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez from 25 metres

as Leverkusen moved up to third and back on course for an automatic Champions League spot with three matches left in the season.

Leverkusen moved to 58 points, four behind second-placed VfL Wolfsburg and one ahead of Borussia Moenchengladbach, who have a game in hand.

It was the second disappointment in a week for injury-plagued Bayern after their German Cup exit to Borussia Dortmund, but they can be forgiven for fielding a weakened side with their focus on the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on Wednesday.

“The most important thing for us was to avoid any injuries. It will be difficult in Barcelona but we’ll put everything into it,” Neuer said after what was only Bayern’s third defeat of the season.

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola handed Bundesliga debuts to midfielder Rico Strieder, who started, and forward Lukas Goertler, who came on in the second half, and later admitted he has no idea who will play against Barca.

“We don’t know yet about the line-up against Barca,” he said. “As for Robert Lewandowski and Franck Ribery, we just don’t know if they are ready — and we don’t know when we will know.

“Our line-up is not yet settled,” added Guardiola who left Lewandowski, Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng out of the squad while Xabi Alonso and Thiago Alcantara started on the bench.

Bayern already know they will be without Arjen Robben who tore a calf muscle in his return from injury last week and will now miss the rest of the season.

Top scorer Lewandowski fractured his cheekbone and suffered concussion in the same German Cup semi-final defeat to Dortmund while French ace Ribery has been sidelined since injuring an ankle on March 11.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2015

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