BERLIN, June 21 — Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich took their winning run to 15 games as Robert Lewandowski scored twice in yesterday’s 3-1 win over Freiburg.

AFP Sport looks at five key things from yesterday’s action:

‘World-class’ Lewandowski

Lewandowski’s tally of 33 league goals is a new record for a foreigner in the Bundesliga, bettering the 31 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17 before joining Arsenal.

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After Joshua Kimmich gave Bayern an early lead at a spectator-free Allianz Arena, Lewandowski netted twice in the first-half to give him 48 goals in 41 games in all competitions.

“This is a world-class player, when you see how he moves in the area, how he drops back to avoid the off-side trap,” said Freiburg goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow

With just one game left, Lewandowski is well short of Gerd Mueller’s all-time record of 40 German league goals in 1971/72.

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Having been confirmed league champions in mid-week, Bayern can win the treble and face Leverkusen in the German Cup on July 4.

They are among the favourites for the Champions League, which resumes in August, having hammered Chelsea 3-0 in the last 16, first-leg before matches halted in March with Lewandowski the top scorer in Europe with 11 goals.

Thomas Mueller joked about the treble, telling club staff “When is the (Champions League) final?  August 23.  Then we’ll see you here (again) on the 24th!” at a reception on Thursday to celebrate the league title.

Haaland spoils Werner farewell

Erling Braut Haaland scored his 13th goal in 14 league games in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-0 win at RB Leipzig, whose Chelsea-bound striker Timo Werner drew a blank on his final home appearance.

Werner joins Chelsea from July 1, but was outshone by Dortmund phenomenon Haaland, 19, who showed lethal finishing, but was unhappy in the mixed zone afterwards. 

“No,” the Norwegian teen said curtly, when asked if he was happy to finish second to Bayern behind Bayern, with defender Mats Hummels adding “next season we want to move up one more place”.

Schalke crash again

Schalke, who were third in December, are 11th as David Wagner’s side are now 15 league games without a victory after a 4-1 hammering at home to Wolfsburg.

Welsh striker Rabbi Matondo scored Schalke’s consolation goal, but Dutch striker Wout Weghorst netted twice as the visitors ran riot.

“When you have such a negative run,” said ex-Huddersfield Town coach Wagner, “it is an extremely long season — for everyone.

“There are a few players who haven’t coped as well as others.

“We can all be pleased that the season is over after the Freiburg game (next Saturday).”

‘Empty’ Bremen

Following their 3-1 defeat at Mainz, Bremen coach Florian Kohfeldt says they owe it to their fans to take their last slim chance to avoid a first relegation for 40 years.

With one game left, Bremen are second from bottom and two points from 16th place which triggers a relegation play-off at the end of the season.

To have any chance of staying up, Bremen must now beat Cologne at home next weekend and hope 16th-placed Fortuna Duesseldorf lose at mid-table Union Berlin.

“We missed a huge chance. I’m very disappointed, I’m empty and I have to collect myself a bit,” said Kohfeldt.

“We owe it to everyone — ourselves, every employee and fan - to beat Cologne.”

Union crash after party fineUnion capped a bad few days with a 4-0 rout at Hoffenheim having been fined by the league for an impromptu party in the club car park after avoiding relegation in mid-week.

Union broke the league’s hygiene rules by partying with fans in the stadium car park after Tuesday’s 1-0 win at home to Paderborn.

The league fined the club, Union captain Christopher Trimmel and midfielder Sheraldo Becker, who both appeared partying arm-in-arm in videos posted by fans on social media.

Yesterday, Union’s defence capitulated as Hoffenheim ran riot with goals by Ihlas Bebou, Andrej Kramaric, Munas Dabbur and Christoph Baumgartner. 

“When you cross the finish line, you lose a certain amount of tension, but it shouldn’t be this much,” admitted head coach Urs Fischer. — AFP