By Dan Reuben & Ben Higlett It was yet another poor week for German clubs in Europe as both Bayern and Schalke crashed out of the Champions League in the last 16, which means that there will be no German team in the quarter finals of the Champions League for the first time in 13 years. Having drawn 0-0 at Anfield, Bayern went into the second leg as favourites but lost 3-1 against Liverpool in timid fashion at the Allianz Arena. Meanwhile, Schalke travelled to Manchester hoping to overturn a 3-2 deficit from their home leg. They were completely outclassed by Pep Guardiola’s side, however, succumbing to the biggest defeat of a German side in Champions League history, losing 7-0 against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. That result proved to be the final nail in Domenico Tedesco’s coffin, as the 33 year-old was relieved of his duties as Schalke head coach just two days later. The sole German representative left in Europe, therefore, is Eintracht Frankfurt after a heroic away performance against Inter Milan. Luka Jovic’s goal was enough to see them through to their first major European quarter final since 1995.
A turbocharged Bayern remain in pole position at the top of the Bundesliga after cruising past Mainz on Sunday evening. Der FCB barely had to get out of second gear as James Rodriguez became the first Colombian to score a Bundesliga hat trick, making it back-to-back 6-0 home league wins. Meanwhile, through the pouring rain in Berlin, Dortmund made hard work of their clash against Hertha. It took a dramatic late winner from Marco Reus to seal the points, but the home side reached the chequered flag with only nine men after Jordan Torunarigha and Vedad Ibisevic saw red late on. However, it seems the wheels are coming off for backmarkers Nürnberg and Hanover: they suffered damaging defeats at the hands of Frankfurt and Augsburg respectively, and already look consigned to relegation to the 2. Bundesliga. Meanwhile, one of Germany’s most popular sports returned this weekend, with the first race of the Formula One season. The two German drivers in the field, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Hulkenberg, finished in fourth and eighth place respectively in Melbourne, with the Finn Valtteri Bottas holding out for the win.