MUNICH: Bayern Munich retained their German Bundesliga title for the seventh time after thrashing Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 on the final day of a season which ended with the triumphant goal-scoring departures of veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.
The game was preceded by a farewell ceremony for Ribéry and Robben, neither of whom were chosen in the starting line-up by coach Niko Kovac.
Bayern went ahead within four minutes. Thomas Müller played a one-two with Robert Lewandowski and passed to Kingley Coman which shot through the legs of Frankfurt’s Makoto Hasebe.
Serge Gnabry and Lewandowski went close and Gnabry was denied a second Bayern goal by an offside decision against the Pole.
Frankfurt went close when Jonathan de Guzman hit the bar and then equalised five minutes after half-time through Sebastien Haller. With title pursuers Borussia Dortmund leading Mönchengladbach one more goal would have dethroned Bayern.
It was not to be.
Three more minutes and a long-range shot from Thomas Müller was only parried by Kevin Trapp and Alaba followed up to restore Bayern’s lead. Another five minutes later and Renato Sanches made it 3-1.
With the outcome decided, Kovac brought Ribery and Robben into the game for farewell appearances and a goal apiece.
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