By Ben Higlett and Dan Reuben
Der Klassiker
The 100th Der Klassiker turned into a nightmare for Dortmund, as a rampant Bayern side steamrollered their way to a 5-0 victory. A ruthless first-half display saw the hosts race into a four-goal lead before the break, with Die Schwarzgelben’s defence wilting under sustained pressure from Niko Kovac’s side, who completed the rout late-on with former Dortmund striker, Robert Lewandowski, tapping in from close-range. However, Lucien Favre’s men were left ruing what could have been, as a bright start had culminated in Mahmoud Dahoud striking the outside of the post just moments before another former player, Mats Hummels, had headed Bayern - bidding for a record seventh-consecutive league title - ahead. Der FCB now hold a one-point cushion over their rivals, but with six games left, the title race is certainly far from over. Catch the highlights here.
BVB donation to Holocaust Memorial Museum
On Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund announced a €1,000,000 donation to the Holocaust Memorial museum, Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem. In a press conference it was confirmed that the club as well as four other big German businesses have donated money to demonstrate solidarity with victims of the Holocaust and support the fight against anti-Semitism. This contribution comes after years of trips to concentration camps that BVB have organised for their fans – just one of their many social engagement projects.
DFB President Grindel Resigns
Meanwhile, Reinhard Grindel stepped down from his position as DFB president this week after three years in charge. He had been facing increasing pressure after numerous damaging incidents: There were claims about his undeclared earnings after he accepted a €6,000 watch from a Ukrainian football official in 2018; likewise, his handling of Mesut Özil and Ilkay Gündogan’s meeting with the Turkish president caused widespread controversy. It now opens the door for a fresh start for the DFB.
Handball(!)
In other news… THW Kiel triumphed over SC Magdeburg 28-24 in the Handball Cup Final to clinch the competition for the eleventh time.