Bayern Munich on brink of eighth straight Bundesliga crown

If the Bavarians beat Gladbach and Dortmund lose at Dusseldorf earlier on Saturday then they will be champions again

Bayern Munich's Ivan Perisic scores their first goal during the 2-1 victory at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup semi-final on Wednesday, June 10. AP

Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng wears a shirt referring to the Black Lives Matter movement before the match. EPA

View of a corner flag referring to the Black Lives Matter movement prior to the German DFB Cup semi final match between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt. EPA

Bayern Munich's Spanish midfielder Javier Martinez wears a face mask as he arrives for the match. AFP

Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara arrives at the stadium. EPA

Bayern Munich' goalkeeper Manuel Neuer warms up. EPA

Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman warms up. EPA

Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski prepares for the game. EPA

Weed grows in the stands with fans barred from entering the stadium. EPA

Empty seats in the VIP area prior to the German Cup semi final between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt. EPA

Eintracht Frankfurt players warm up. EPA

A TV camera operator wears a protective face mask. EPA

Medics wait in the stands as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus. Reuters

Timothy Chandler wearing a shirt referencing the Black Lives Matter campaign. Getty

Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller during the semi final. EPA

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (R) and president Herbert Hainer sit in the stands. AFP

Danny da Costa of Bayern Munich scores his sides first goal. Getty

Eintracht Frankfurt's Danny da Costa scores their equaliser. AP

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal. AP

The Allianz Arena on match night. Getty

Eintracht Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp in front of empty stands. EPA

Eintracht Frankfurt's goalkeeper Kevin Trapp (L) shakes hands with Bayern Munich's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after the match. EPA

Kingsley Coman of Bayern Munich wears a shirt to warm up in with a message in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign. Getty

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski, right, scores his goal. AP

Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter, and Bayern's, Hansi Flick (l) at the end of the game. AP

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski in action with Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp. Reuters

Bayern Munich could secure an eighth straight Bundesliga title this weekend, but host Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday without suspended duo Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski.

Bayern will be confirmed champions with a win on Saturday if second-placed Borussia Dortmund lose at relegation-threatened Fortuna Dusseldorf earlier in the day.

That scenario would give Hansi Flick's side an unassailable 10-point lead with three games remaining.

But Bayern are without Lewandowski, the league's top scorer this season with 30 goals, and Muller, who is one short of the Bundesliga record of 21 assists in a single campaign. "It's annoying, but we can't do anything about it," said Bayern manager Flick.

Thiago Alcantara is likely to replace Mueller, while winger Serge Gnabry could take Lewandowski's place up front if he is fit after a back injury.

Bayern proved they can score goals without Lewandowski by thumping Hoffenheim 6-0 in late February when the Polish striker was injured.

They had a scare in Wednesday's German Cup semi-final win over Eintracht Frankfurt, when Danny da Costa equalised for the visitors before Lewandowski sealed a 2-1 win with his 45th goal this season.

Muller admitted Bayern were "tired", "worn out" and scrapped their way to victory in the first of three games in six days.

But they are still in the running to repeat their 2013 treble having beaten Chelsea 3-0 away in their Champions League last-16 first leg before the competition was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Fourth-placed Gladbach pulled off a shock 2-1 victory at Borussia Park when the sides met last December. But Marco Rose's side have been erratic of late, crushing Union Berlin 4-1 at home at the end of May before stumbling to defeat at Freiburg last weekend.

Rose hopes to include Swiss forward Breel Embolo, with the 23-year-old fit after an ankle knock.

At the foot of the table, fallen giants Werder Bremen face a crucial game at Paderborn in a battle of the bottom two.

Florian Kohfeldt's Bremen are six points from safety in 17th and three off the relegation play-off place following back-to-back home defeats.

Bremen, who were in the Champions League a decade ago, have spent more seasons in the top flight than any other club, but are running out of time.

"We know how much is riding on this game," said American forward Josh Sargent. "This club has such a long history, and no one wants to let the team or the city down."