Paris, Mar 10: Bayern Munich had a bitter sweet weekend, a 3-0 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen stretching their lead to 13 points at the top of the German first division but it came at a high price for their inspirational midfielder Michael Ballack. Ballack was taken off after 20 minutes after tearing ankle ligaments which will keep him out for six weeks.
Bayern's goals came from Claudio Pizarro with Giovane Elber bagging a double, the first an audacious Backheel. The 17-time champion's coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said: "The victory was of course overshadowed by the injury to Michael Ballack. It's a great loss, but it gives another player a chance to impress."
The defeat, just three days after Bayern also beat them 3-1 in the semi-finals of the German Cup, plunges Leverkusen back into trouble - Thomas Horster's side are just one point clear of the relegation places.
There was better news though for another team fighting relegation, former giants Kaiserslautern. They went into the weekend footing the table but climbed to third from bottom after a 5-0 drubbing of Nuremberg, this victory coming in the week that they won through to the German Cup final.
Reigning champions Dortmund went down away from home to a second-half header from Mikael Forssell, the Finnish international striker on loan to Monchengladbach from English premiership club Chelsea.
In order to catch Bayern, Dortmund must now hope for the unlikely scenario of their bitter rivals losing at least five of their remaining matches. Bureau Report