Ribery dazzles as Hitzfeld claims league title
BERLIN: Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld admitted the league title race is over after Franck Ribery struck twice to seal a 4-1 win over VfB Stuttgart to put his side 12 points clear at the top of the table.
Only a mathematical miracle can stop Bayern Munich being crowned German champion after super sub Ribery wasted no time after coming off the bench in the 57th minute in Sunday's game.
The 25-year-old immediately picked up a yellow card, then curled in a dream goal from 35 m on 75 minutes and followed that up a minute later with a superb strike to seal the victory.
"He is an artist with a football," beamed general manager Uli Hoeness about the French star in his first season at Bayern after last summer's 26 million euros ($41 million) transfer from Marseille.
"Once again he has hit two great goals for us, what he does is just unbelievable.
"You can congratulate us now on the championship, because no one can snatch the title away from us."
With four games left, a goal difference of 20 and a 12-point gap over nearest rival Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen, even cautious coach Hitzfeld can afford to relax a little.
"Nothing more can now happen to us, the only way we can lose the championship is if they suspend it," said Hitzfeld.
"But nevertheless we still want a few more victories.
"It is important the team keeps its strong spirit and we are hoping to have a few more fresh players for next Saturday after this week's UEFA Cup semifinal."
Hitzfeld had rested several players from Thursday's UEFA Cup semifinal, first leg 1-1 draw against Zenit St Petersburg and Bayern now has a busy week ahead with the second leg in Russia on Thursday.
And it could be crowned Bundesliga champion at VfL Wolfsburg next Sunday.
Against Stuttgart, the home side took an early lead when Luca Toni bagged his 21st league goal of the season after a mistake in the Stuttgart defense allowed the Italian World Cup winner to hit the back of the net on eight minutes.
But Stuttgart leveled when midfielder Antonio da Silva scored with a direct free-kick on 19 minutes, but Dutch hardman Mark Van Bommel curled his 55th minute free-kick around VfB Stuttgart's defensive wall to put Bayern 2-1 ahead before Ribery made his entrance.
The result knocks Stuttgart out of the top five - and a potential place in Europe next season - after Bayer Leverkusen drew 2-2 with VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday to go fourth in the table.
On Saturday, a goal by Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi secured a 1-0 win at Hamburg to put Schalke 04 level on 54 points alongside Werder Bremen - 12 adrift of Bayern.
Bremen shared a 3-3 draw at Karlsruhe and in the mid-table battle Hanover drew 2-2 with Hertha Berlin.
AFP
(China Daily 04/29/2008 page22)
