BREMEN, Germany — Bayern Munich secured its eighth successive German Bundesliga title Tuesday with two games to spare after beating Werder Bremen 1-0 with a goal from Robert Lewandowski.
With no fans in the stands on a wet night in Bremen, it was a subdued and strange celebration for Bayern’s players, who put on commemorative T-shirts and paid tribute to their supporters with cheers.
“Celebrating without the fans is a bit complicated,” Lewandowski told broadcaster Sky. “The atmosphere is missing and something else, not the motivation, but the passion from the fans.”
The win put Bayern 10 points clear of second-place Borussia Dortmund, which can earn a maximum nine points from its three remaining games.
Werder, which is fighting against relegation, kept Bremen at bay for most of the first half but the champions still found a breakthrough. Jerome Boateng played a perfectly weighted ball over the defense in the 43rd minute for Lewandowski to control on his chest and hit past the goalkeeper for his 31st Bundesliga goal this season.
Bayern finished with 10 men after a second yellow card for Alphonso Davies in the 79th minute. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made a crucial late save to stop Yuya Osako’s header.
At the final whistle Coach Hansi Flick brushed aside social distancing rules to hug his staff as a smattering of club officials in the stands shook hands.
That made Germany the first major European league to crown a champion after resuming play amid the coronavirus pandemic. Paris Saint-Germain was named French champion in April, but that was after the rest of the season was canceled.
Bayern powered to its 30th German title with a perfect record of seven wins in the Bundesliga since it resumed last month in empty stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hansi Flick has coached Bayern to 26 wins in 29 games in all competitions since he took over in November.
Bayern is chasing a possible triple. It can add the German Cup if it beats Bayer Leverkusen in the July 4 final and is in contention for the Champions League. Europe’s premier club competition was postponed because of the coronavirus but is due to finish in a tournament format in August.
“We’ve got enough time to get ready for it,” Lewandowski said of the Champions League.
Germany’s relatively early finish is likely to leave Bayern a month without competitive games after the German Cup final.
Last-place Paderborn was relegated after losing 1-0 Wednesday to Union Berlin. Borussia Monchengladbach moved back into the Champions League places in fourth with a 3-0 win over Wolfsburg. Freiburg beat Hertha Berlin 2-1.
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