MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) – Bayern Munich conceded a 71st-minute free kick to draw 1-1 at home against Hoffenheim on Saturday at the end of a turbulent week for the champions but they stayed two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with six games remaining.
The Bavarians were without the suspended Sadio Mane following his clash with team mate Leroy Sane after Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League loss to Manchester City. Mane hit Sane after their quarter-final first-leg loss, earning a fine and a one-game ban.
While Bayern, who host City in the return leg on Wednesday, looked sluggish in the first half with only a few chances, they did go in front when France international Benjamin Pavard drilled in after 17 minutes.
The visitors came close with two chances in the 55th — a Pavel Kaderabek volley and an Angelo Stiller header — that both narrowly missed the target.
They got the equaliser in the 71st courtesy of a curled Andrej Kramaric free kick.
Hoffenheim thought their joy had been short-lived when Pavard stabbed in from close range a minute later only for his effort to be ruled offside.
Bayern are on 59 points, two ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who drew 3-3 at VfB Stuttgart.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Clare Fallon)
