Lewandowski poised for Bundesliga history

Bayern striker has already equalled single-season goal record with 40 nettings

BERLIN:

Robert Lewandowski can break Gerd Mueller's 49-year-old Bundesliga single-season goal record this weekend when champions Bayern Munich play in front of their home fans for the first time since March 2020.

The Poland striker's penalty in Bayern's 2-2 draw at Freiburg last time out saw him equal Mueller's record of 40 goals in a single Bundesliga campaign, set in 1971/72.

With one game left Lewandowski, the Bundesliga's top scorer in six of the last eight years, can set a new record against Augsburg on Saturday.

"I guess he'll score two goals at the weekend and break the record," predicts former Bayer Leverkusen striker Ulf Kirsten, 55, a three-time Bundesliga top scorer in the 1990s.

"Nevertheless, I hope things stay as they are, because Gerd Mueller was my idol."

With a ninth straight league title already confirmed, Bayern will lift the Bundesliga trophy after the final whistle.

There will also be a farewell for last season's treble-winning coach Hansi Flick, hotly tipped to take charge of Germany after Euro 2020.

Likewise, defenders Jerome Boateng and David Alaba, whose contracts have not been renewed, will play their last game after more than a decade with Bayern.

Alaba is expected to join Real Madrid and leaves with a joint-record of 10 Bundesliga titles under his belt, while Boateng, 32, needs a new club.

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit Germany 14 months ago, fans will return to the Allianz Arena with just 250 allowed into the 75,000-capacity stadium.

Health workers will get 100 tickets with the rest shared between supporters and staff.

With infection rates dropping across Germany, other Bundesliga clubs can also welcome back small numbers of fans.

Union Berlin, on the verge of qualifying for the new Europa Conference League, will allow 2,000 spectators for Saturday's home game against RB Leipzig, who are already confirmed as runners-up.

The top four places are decided with Bayern, Leipzig, Dortmund and Wolfsburg assured of Champions League football next season.