BERLIN: Bayern Munich’s 19-game winning run came to an end in the Bundesliga when the newly-recrowed German champions were held 3-3 by Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim’s Anthony Modeste silenced the Munich crowd by scoring in a 23rd-minute goal. Bayern then responded with three goals in an explosive nine-minute spell from Peruvian Claudio Pizarro (two) and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Hoffenheim pulled one back just before half-time when Sejad Salihovic thumped a free-kick beyond Bayern reserve keeper Tom Starke and Roberto Firmino equalised in the 75th minute.

Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus scored a hat-trick to bring his own team back from two goals down for a 3-2 win over relegation-threatened Stuttgart 3-2. Dortmund thus retained second place behind Bayern.

In Holland Dick Advocaat confirmed that he will leave AZ Alkmaar at the end of the season while, in Russia, struggling Volga Nizhny Novgorod sacked Yuri Kalitvintsev.

In Italy Kaka turned up a rare vintage performance as he scored twice in a 3-0 win over Chievo Verona on his 300th appearance for Milan. Kaka is expected to move to Major League Soccer at the end of the season.

In Spain champions Barcelona maintained their revival when Lionel Messi converted a penalty for a 1-0 derby win away to Espanyol.

Espanyol ended up with 10 men after goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was shown a red card seven minutes from time after handling a Messi lob outside the penalty area.

Atletico Madrid remaind top, however, after hitting back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 away at fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao, only the hsts’ second home defeat this season.

Third-placed Real Madrid avoided a third successive defeat when La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 28th goal of the campaign and Gareth Bale struck twice in a 5-0 stroll at home to city neighbours Rayo Vallecano.

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