Bayern Munich Drop Points As Bundesliga Resumes After 68-Day Break

After a 68-day mid-season break, the Bundesliga resumed play with Leipzig holding the league’s top team, Bayern Munich, at bay on Friday night.

Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich had a goal disallowed for offside during the buildup after Serge Gnabry struck the post.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s close-range header of Gnabry’s cross gave Bayern its first Bundesliga goal since the World Cup.

Marcel Halstenberg’s goal off of Dominik Szoboszlai’s header gave third-placed Leipzig the chance to salvage a point.

In extra time, the Bundesliga reigning champions, who had won their previous 10 games, nearly won the match when Thomas Muller narrowly missed a goal from 20 yards.

At the top of the table, they are five points ahead of Freiburg. Leipzig is one point further behind.

The Bundesliga is the final major league in Europe to resume play following the World Cup. The league has been on break since November 13 to give room for the Qatar World Cup.

Yann Sommer, a seasoned goalkeeper who Bayern Munich bought from Borussia Monchengladbach for £8.3 million, made his debut for the German champions last night.

Bayern’s top-choice goalkeeper who led Germany to an early Qatar World Cup exit, Manuel Neuer, broke his leg while skiing and is out for the remainder of the season.