Bayern Run Ends As Wolfsburg Thrash Champion

Not since losing 3-0 at home to Dortmund at the end of last season had the all-conquering champion been exposed as ruthlessly. The 4-1 result puts clear daylight between second-placed Wolves and the rest.

Bayen Munich was beaten in the league for the first time since April 2014 as Wolfsburg's players paid the perfect tribute to the late Junior Malanda on Friday.



Not since losing 3-0 at home to Dortmund at the end of last season had the all-conquering champion been exposed as ruthlessly. The 4-1 result ended all hopes of Bayern posting the Bundelisga's first unbeaten season and put clear daylight between second-placed Wolves and the rest.



Bayern had only conceded four league goals all season but they surrendered as many in 90 minutes to a Wolfsburg team clearly inspired by the pre-match respects given to their former teammate.



Dutch striker Das Bost with two first half goals and Belgian playmaker Kevin de Bruyne with a brace in the second period did the damage for Wovles, which moved nine points clear of Leverkusen in third ahead of a full Bundesliga program on Saturday and Sunday.



Bayern caught sleeping



The home start made an unbelievable start as Bayern were caught on the break in only the third minute.



Daniel Caliguri sliced open the away defense with a slide rule pass to Kevin de Bruyne and the Belgian did what he does best: feeding his teammate Das Bost who slid into the corner pastManuel Neuer. It was de Bruyne's 11th assist this season – the most of any Bundesliga player.



Bayern pressed as the game went from end to end. On 8 minutes Bastian Schweinsteiger curled a free kick over the Wolfsburg wall and into the grateful arms of Diego Benaglio.



Schweinsteiger flashed a header just wide in the 14th minute and when the Wolfsburg defense failed to clear its lines 15 minutes later, David Alaba drilled a 20-yard shot straight at Benaglio.



But with Bayern committing players forward Wolfsburg was able to counter attack at will, and it was finding plenty of space in the Bayern half with de Bruyne looking especially dangerous when breaking down the left.



Bas Dost and de Bruyne do the damage



Bayern appeared to lose a shade of discipline as cheap fouls were given away by Dante and Bastian Schweinsteiger before aclearly frustrated Xabi Alonso was booked for a push on Wolfsburg's Maximillian Arnold. The Spaniard received a yellow card after a centre circle scuffle involving several players from both sides.



With Bayern seemingly holding on for half-time, Bas Dost sliced a shot from the left centre of the area onto the far post and into Neuer's goal. The German international 'Keeper was caught flat footed as he appeared unsighted by his defenders.



De Bruyne was again targeted for some rough treatment after the restart but no Bayern player could get near him in the 53rd minute, when the 23-year-old Belgian raced the length of the opposition half to fire past Neuer for 3-0.



Bayern pulled the deficit back to two goals in its next attack, when Juan Bernat bundled the ball home.



But in the 57th minute the momentum was back with Wolfsburg, with Maximillian Arnold firing over the bar when it looked easier to score.



And in the 73rd minute with Bayern pressing forward for a way back into the match, de Bruyne again found himself racing clear from the halfway line. With only Dante for company, the Belgian made enough space to lash an unstoppable drive into the roof of Neuer's net from 10 meters.



Bayern dominated possession in the final ten minutes but the Wolves defence held firm to seal its biggest win of the season to date.



Green love for Malanda



A one-minute applause was held before the match in memory of Junior Malanda, the Wolves player who died in a car accident on January 10.



Players from both sides wore black armbands while home fans held up green hearts displaying 19, Malanda's old shirt number.



"We discussed the issue with our fans and came to the mutual conclusion that we didn't want silence," said Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs.



Instead, he said, they had wanted "to hear applause and love, to pick up where the funeral in Belgium left off in celebrating Junior's life."



The game proved to be the perfect tribute to the 20-year-old Belgian.