Bundesliga

LONDON – Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane returned to north London to score his customary goal against Arsenal as the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie ended 2-2 on Tuesday.

The former Tottenham Hotspur player, so often Arsenal's nemesis in north London derbies, stroked home a penalty in the 32nd minute as the Bundesliga side hit back to lead 2-1.

Premier League leaders Arsenal, playing in their first Champions League quarter-final for 14 years, had gone in front early on with a clinical Bukayo Saka strike.

MUNICH — Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title hopes all but evaporated after a 2-0 home loss to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday left them 13 points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen with seven games remaining.

Bayern, winners of the previous 11 league crowns, were inefficient in attack and their first shot on goal came late in the second half, with usually deadly striker Harry Kane having earlier missed their best chances.

LEVERKUSEN — Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen scored twice late in the game with Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick to earn a 2-1 comeback win over Hoffenheim on Saturday and edge closer to the league title.

Leverkusen, unbeaten in 39 matches across all competitions this season, are on 73 points with seven games. Bayern Munich, who face Borussia Dortmund later on Saturday, are second on 60.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso ended speculation of a potential move to one of his former clubs Liverpool or Bayern Munich in the close season when the Spaniard said on Friday that he was committed to staying with the Bundesliga leaders.

Alonso, who has a contract with Leverkusen until 2026, has become the talk of Europe and a reported target for top clubs after leading his team through an unbeaten season while challenging for three trophies.

Brenden Aaronson had a stand-out performance in Union Berlin’s Bundesliga win over Werder Bremen this Saturday, making a statement to his surprise absence from the USMNT.

The American scored a wonderful goal, making this his second goal of the season and his second in the last five matches. One-two at the edge of the box and a bullet strike in the upper-90 to double the home side's lead. 

Brenden Aaronson goal vs. Werder Bremen

MUNICH, Germany — Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in Bayern Munich's 8-1 demolition of Mainz 05 on Saturday to set a Bundesliga record as the champions cut the gap on leaders Bayer Leverkusen to seven points.

Kane, who joined this season for a league record 100 million euros from Tottenham Hotspur, became the first player to score at least twice in eight different games in his first Bundesliga season.

He also equalled Uwe Seeler's record for most goals in a debut Bundesliga campaign by lifting his tally to 30.

Harry Kane sets a Bundesliga record

BERLIN — Bayern Munich have decided to end their collaboration with coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the current season despite a contract to 2025, the club said on Wednesday.

Bayern lost their last three games in all competitions, including a 3-0 defeat to league leaders Bayer Leverkusen and have now dropped eight points behind them in the Bundesliga.

They were also beaten 1-0 by Lazio in last week's Champions League first leg and now risk going without any silverware for the first season in more than a decade.

United States men’s national team forward Brenden Aaronson scored an 84th minute winner for Union Berlin in a 1-0 victory vs. Hoffenheim on Saturday.

The goal will come as a massive sigh of relief for Aaronson who was on a tremendously long goal drought. The last time the 23-year-old forward had scored for a club was August 2022 against Chelsea while playing with Leeds.

Aaronson is on loan with Union Berlin and has only started five Bundesliga games this season. The American is typically used as a late substitute.

LEVERKUSEN — Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen outplayed champions Bayern Munich for a 3-0 victory on Saturday that sent them five points clear at the top of the league and put them firmly in charge of the title race.

Goals from Josip Stanisic, Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong made sure of the three points as Leverkusen, who have never won a Bundesliga title, and stretched their unbeaten run to 31 matches across all competitions this season.

Jordan Pefok’s recent form to start 2024 deserves recognition and an international call-up in March if he remains consistent. 

The 26-year-old provided an assist in Borussia Monchengladbach’s 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Saturday marking his third goal contribution in his last four Bundesliga games.