Record champions Bayern Munich will go into the last three Bundesliga matchdays as the league leaders. With a hard-fought 2-1 (0-0) victory at Werder Bremen, the defending champions extended their lead over rivals Borussia Dortmund to four points. With a home win against VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday (17.30 CET in the F.A.Z. live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN), the Westphalians can reduce the gap to one point again.

Serge Gnabry scored the decisive goal for FC Bayern in the 62nd minute. The Germany international was successful from close range after a confusion in the Bremen penalty area. Ten minutes later, substitute Leroy Sané scored from an acute angle. Niklas Schmidt (87th) was only able to shorten the game for the Hanseatic team shortly after his substitution.

Coach Thomas Tuchel's team dominated the first half hour almost at will. With fast ball relays and clever changes of position, the guests pushed SV Werder deep into their own half, green and white relief was hardly possible in this phase.

But as soon as the defending champions wanted to enter the penalty area, there were problems. The 42,100 spectators in the sold-out Weserstadion cheered every duel won and every successful tackle by Bremen, who once again had to do without striker Niclas Füllkrug (calf problems).

And so it took 20 minutes before the goal of the hosts was seriously threatened for the first time. A pass from Bayern captain Joshua Kimmich extended Benjamin Pavard with his head, but Werder goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka was quick to react.

It was not until the 29th minute that his counterpart Yann Sommer had to intervene with a harmless long-range shot by Leonardo Bittencourt. But this first delicate attempt seemed to inspire the North Germans: After a solo effort, Bremen's midfielder Christian Groß narrowly missed (32nd)

Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged this scene with an angry wave. The coach had initially left the two internationals Sané and Thomas Müller on the bench. Werder coach Ole Werner, on the other hand, demonstratively applauded his team on the way to half-time.

After the change of sides, the visitors were able to keep up the pressure, but unlike before the change of sides, SV Werder repeatedly managed to relieve the pressure. Unfortunately for the hosts, Bremen's best defender up to that point, Amos Pieper, had to be replaced in the 55th minute due to injury.

Tuchel responded to his team's lead with two substitutions in the 65th minute and now sent Sane and Müller onto the pitch. And he was rewarded: Sane made the final decision seven minutes later with his goal. Schmidt's goal with a long-range shot worth seeing came too late for Bremen.