Magnificent Bayern confirmed Bundesliga champions

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BERLIN: Bayern Munich set the record for the earliest Bundesliga title win on Saturday when they were confirmed as German champions for the 23rd time with a 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.


Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the decisive goal to give Bayern their 24th win from 28 league games this season and seal the first major silverware the Bavarian giants have won since May 2010. With Bayern facing Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League quarter-final leading 2-0 from the first leg, the win came despite coach Jupp Heynckes resting several key players.


Second-placed Borussia Dortmund, champions in each of the last two seasons, won 4-2 at home to Augsburg, but could not prevent Bayern from setting a Bundesliga record for the earliest confirmed title win. With six games left, they have an unsurmountable 20-point lead and have won their 22nd Bundesliga title.

It is their 23rd national title overall, with the Munich club also winning the old-style German championship in 1932.

Following a frantic start, Bayern defender David Alaba missed a 26th-minute penalty when he fired wide after Thomas Mueller was brought down in the area, but Schweinsteiger's second-half back-heel flick gave them three more points.

With Bayern pushing forward, captain Philipp Lahm fired in a pass for his deputy to delicately flick a shot past Frankfurt goalkeeper Oka Nikolov with his heel on 52 minutes for the decisive goal.(AFP)